The Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher
by WarriorsSoul
Summary: It is not Quirinus Quirrell who is the DADA teacher when Harry Potter and his classmates arrive at Hogwarts. Instead it is Benjamin Voss a former Slytherin who takes the post as a favor to his old mentor Filius Flitwick. How will this man with his "unique" magical views change not only the class of 1991 but the Wizarding World as a whole? (Years 1 & 2 Complete)
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter it is owned by JK Rowling**

**The Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher**

**Chapter 1 **

**The Offer**

_A pair of quick little feet ran across the mansion floor. The thundering storm outside didn't erase the smile from the boy's young face, because he had drawn his mommy a picture. His mommy loved his pictures. Without knocking he burst through the door only to see the normally bright room lit by candles completely dark. _

"_Mommy?" The boy whispered as he walked into the room. _

_A flash of lighting showed a silhouette on the floor not far from the boy who ran toward the body. He saw the telltale hair of his mother, shaking he pushed the body on it's back and saw the lifeless eyes of his mother as the blood pooled around her corpse. An ungodly scream ripped from the boy's mouth as a burst of magic exploded from him that shook the whole the manor and nearly destroyed some of the ancient wards that surrounded the property._

With a sharp breath Benjamin Voss awoke upright in his bed sweating, taking a few calming breaths he got up from his bed and went into his bathroom splashing water on his face. The man that stared back on at him had a fairly handsome face with dark stubble running down his cheeks to his chin with cloudy blue eyes and long dark brown hair. Benjamin let out a sigh; he had not had that nightmare in quite a long time. It seemed he needed to up his Occlumency training if he wanted to get good night's sleep. But for now it was time to begin his daily practice.

Dressed in a pair of baggy pants, a simple shirt, and with cane in hand Benjamin's heavy footsteps echoed across the cold manor floor until he reached an empty room on the west side of the manor. With a wave of the cane two practice dummies appeared with the given power to fire simple spells, and the firing rate would increase every minute. Taking another breath he unsheathed his cane to show to a thin blade. A magical bolt shot first but was deflected by the sword. Another and another were fired and the bolts were blocked as Benjamin slowly moved forward. Finally in range he cut down the first dummy. A quiet whisper of Reducto echoed across the room and magical energy coursed through the blade and blasted the second to pieces. Waving the sword a time of 30 seconds appeared before it was whisked away like mist. The time caused the man to frown. Last month he had been able to defeat them in 25 seconds. He was becoming lazy that could not be allowed to happen.

His next step was to stop at his small green house near the of his property where he picked a few fresh vegetables and headed into the house. A few waves of his cane and the stove, pans, and ingredients began to fly around the kitchen. Soon a perfectly cooked omelet appeared on a plate in front of Benjamin. He quickly finished his breakfast and was headed toward the library when a faint jolt from the manors wards alerted him that someone was at the door. Quickly grabbing his cane Benjamin walked to the door.

With a curse on his lips the man opened the door to see the Charms Professor from Hogwarts Filius Flitwick.

Benjamin raised an eyebrow, "Professor to what do I owe the pleasure?" He voice was soft and friendly. The half goblin grinned, "I have to come to ask a favor of you."

Benjamin nodded and allowed the Charms Master to enter his home. With a spell a pot of tea was brewed and the two sat down.

"As you know Benjamin the school year at Hogwarts is quickly approaching and there has been an accident that has forced the former DADA Professor to have to leave the position." Filtwick said

The man chuckled, "You want me to teach? Why not ask Severus? The man is nearly in love with the dark arts."

"Severus's true mastery is potions, and it would near impossible to find a Potion's Master to replace him in such an amount of time." The half goblin took a sip of tea. "I also think your "unique" views on magic would be beneficial on allowing the students to discuss certain aspects of magic that they may have not thought about before. Allowing the students to think critically would help them not just in your class but life in general. Do you not agree?

The man replied with a quick nod, and took a sip of tea before he spoke"Does this offer come from you or the Headmaster?"

Fillius smirked in such a way that his goblin heritage could not be hidden, "It comes from me Benjamin, if it were up to the Headmaster someone else would take the job. The rumor mill said that his first call was to Remus Lupin but he was unable to find the man so you are the only choice."

Benjamin bowed his head and spoke in goblin, _"You humble me with your faith mentor. I swear I will do my best to prove worthy of it."_

The Charms Professor smiled and gently placed his hand over the mans and replied in goblin, _"I have no doubt you will my pupil." _

With a small hop Filtwick was on floor, "You are to arrive at Hogwarts tomorrow no later than noon."

As the man left Benjamin frowned. The man was entering the lion's den, literally. He needed to be prepared on all fronts. Be able to answer questions that were asked and quickly rebuff any that he did not wish to answer. A grin plastered itself on his face, such an easy thing for a Slytherin like himself, but he also had his family motto to live up to. _**Percute ultimum primi iciunt. Strike First, Strike Last**_. That was the motto for the house of Voss and as its last living descendent he would abide by it. If he spoke it would be to end an conversation, and if he must act it would be _final_ action taken in a given situation.

As for teaching it would defiantly beat simply waiting for the war to begin once again, and if his teaching could save one student from death whether it be spell or thought then it would be worth it. For the war against the Dark Lord was not over, it was simply taking a break, and he as well as the Wizarding World needed to be prepared for the it begin again,

**Thank you for reading, please check out my other stories and leave a review, and until next time thank you for the support. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter it is owned by JK Rowling**

**The Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher**

**Chapter 2**

**A Trip down Memory Lane **

At the crisp hour of 4am Benjamin awoke from his bed and double checked that his trunk was ready. He had more than enough pair of clothes, and as his mother once said "twice as many pairs of under garments." A small smile appeared as he thought on his mother's words. But it turned to a frown as his eyes found themselves on the door to his mother's old parlor. Long ago he had magically locked the door so that only he could enter it.

He bit back a sharp sigh, "Not yet" he whispered as the manor door shut behind him. Taking a small knife from his pocket he cut a finger and placed it on the wall on the manor. Nearly endless runes appeared on the outside and a moment later disappeared as where the manor once stood now lay a simple plot of land. With a crack of magic Benjamin was gone as well.

The man appeared in the town of Hogsmeade and with a slight shiver cast a Warming Charm on himself. The village was shut down in the summer but still a few memories entered his head.

_As a third year it was Benjamin's first time in in the magical village. He had just brought a few bars of chocolate from Honeydukes and left the store._

"_Ben!" A voice shouted _

_He turned to see the form of Frank Longbottom waving at him, well nearly dragging a young woman behind._

"_What can I do for you today Frank?" He asked_

"_Well this is Alice." Frank said_

_Benjamin smirked, "So you are the young lady I have to blame for my low score in Ancient Runes."_

_Alice blushed as Frank nearly snarled _

"_Don't blame Alice because you couldn't study."_

"_If you would you allow me to study instead of telling me how this dear ladies perfume captured your senses, I could have gotten a better grade on the first exam."_

_His words caused both of them to blush._

_Benjamin smiled and threw each of them a bar of chocolate. "Congrats you two are adorable together. I'm going to head back to the castle." _

_As Benjamin left the blushing couple his smile turned to a frown as he felt the glare of a trio of older Gryffindor's at his back._

The man was brought out of thoughts by the arrival of Filius Flitwick.

"What are you doing here so early Professor?"

"I had a hunch that you would arrive. Now please allow me to show you to your office." The man said as the two headed toward the castle.

Even year's later the majesty of Hogwarts still caused Benjamin to let out a soft "Wow", much in turn made Flitwick smile.

As the two men entered the castle they came upon a court yard and Benjamin stopped as a memory entered his mind.

_Benjamin had just returned from Hogsmeade and taken the courtyard as a short cut when he suddenly set upon by three six or seven year Gryffindor's with their wands pointed at him._

"_So that is how we doing to handle this huh?" Benjamin asked, "Reducto!" he shouted at the ground as the explosion shot dust in the air and caused a distraction. Benjamin dashed out of the courtyard only to be tackled to the ground. The next moment he felt fists and feet be pelted at him. He curled into a ball_ _to protect himself but a foot slammed into his head, and he saw the blood drip down and touch his face. He felt a pulse of magic erupt from him and then darkness. As he regained consciousness the boy found himself standing. The four older students had scratches and bite marks across their skin, their faces bloody, noses broken, and some of their arms and legs were bent at odd angels. Benjamin moved his shaking hands to his face to see that were nearly covered in blood. _

"_Dear Merlin" was heard as Benjamin turned to see a shocked and terrified Professor Sprout. She waved her wand and cast "Wingardium Leviosa" and the four lions were lifted into the air, and with a simple glance she told Benjamin to follow her to the Hospital Wing._

Flitwick glanced at the man as he eyed the courtyard and he knew what memory was playing in his mind as the small Professor had been there for the after math.

_He entered the Headmaster's office to see a seething Minerva pacing the room._

"_Filius what are you doing here? I expected Horace since this student is from his house." Dumbledore asked_

_That was a far question, why was the charm's professor here instead of his Head of House? Besides the fact that the Potion's master had little time or care for those outside his "Slug Club", the two had formed a bond over the past three school years._

_In all his time as a Charm's Professor he had never had the gift of two prodigy's in a year group, until now that is. Miss Lily Evans seemed to be a prodigy on the charms side of the equation. The two had spent hours discussing the theory and he had helped the young girl improve some basic Charms. On the dueling side was Mister Benjamin Voss. From his first step into the classroom Flitwick knew the boy was a fighter. His stances and eye movements proved it, he was always watching, and always on guard. Given the boy loved to exercise and was in peak physical shape, along with a powerful magical core it was quite easy for him to see that he was a natural. Although it bothered the Professor how one so young would gather such skills he knew he needed to cultivate such talent in order for the child to reach his full potential, and give him the skills to survive. So for the past three schools every night, he and the boy dueled. _

_But to the Headmaster he simply said, "Horace thought given myself and the boy's bond that it was more appropriate that I see to this situation."_  
_The Headmaster nodded and gestured for both Heads of House to sit down._

"_Albus this boy attacked my Lions!" Minerva said_

_Filius rolled his eyes, he loved Minerva dearly but she had blinders on when it came to her Cubs. "From what Poppy has reported they will be fine, and they attacked the boy first. Simply for the reason that he is a friend of Frank Longbottom. Maybe your lions should learn that when a snake is cornered it will strike." _

_Minerva nearly glared at the half goblin. _

"_Calm down. I believe the best course action would be to have points taken from all parties involved, along with a months' worth of detentions and Hogsmeade pillages taken away .From all the students involved. And if Mr. Voss's anger is truly that much of a problem, Filius could you possibly have the boy practice_ _Occlumency._

"_I will do that Headmaster." The Professor said as he left the office._

"That was quite a long day wasn't it?" Filius asked

"Yes but it also cost me more than house points." Benjamin said

_He was in the Hospital Wing when Frank and Alice entered the ward._

"_I swear Ben I didn't know this was going to happen. I'll get my mother to have them pay reputations I'll-"Benjamin stopped his friend with a hand._

"_First off hello, secondly you will do no such thing. I won't have your mother go on the war path for me. I always knew this could happen, and maybe we shouldn't see each other for a little while." _

"_But I don't care that you're a snake." Frank said_

_Benjamin smiled, "I know but others do, and I also know that a pack of lions can turn on each other. It is for the best that we cut off contact with each other"_

_Frank furiously stormed out of the ward. Alice began to follow,_

"_Alice take care of him." It was not a request but an order and the young girl simple nodded as she left. _

_As the two students exited Filius entered and Benjamin straitened on the bed,_

"_What is the verdict?"_

"_60 total points will be taken from the older students. 20 from yourself, I month of detentions, no more visits to the village, and you are to start practicing Occlumency. You have heard pf it yes?" He asked as the boy nodded. "What happened?"_

"_I had just returned from the village and the students surrounded me, I tried to escape, but one tackled me to the ground and they started beating me. One kicked in me the head, I saw blood and then nothing. I remember nothing, I was standing and all the boys were down and my hands were covered in blood." His voice was shaking and squeaky as he reached the end. Filius placed his hand on the boys shoulder to calm him down. _

"_Occlumency will help you with that, but for now my boy rest." The Professor said _

_Filius smiled sadly as the boy fell into a slumber._

"It does no good to focus on the past regrets child." Flitwick said gently

"Ignoring them also is not a great idea. It is no problem though, I have made peace with the past some time ago. Now where is this office?" Benjamin said with a smile.

Flitwick simple began walking both men knew that the smile was fake.

After more walking the two arrived on the fourth floor of the castle and there was a door off a side passage.

"This will be your office. There is a staff meeting tomorrow after breakfast but until then your time is yours." Filius said and began to walk away.

Suddenly Benjamin notice a small quill feather stuck in between two bricks in the wall.

_A first year Frank Longbottom was late for his first ever Charms class and was running quickly carrying all his supplies, but he tripped over his robes and all his things slammed to the floor._

_Cursing silently the young boy gathered all his things until he noticed a container of ink had rolled near the feet of another first year with green trims on there robes. _

_First year Benjamin Voss stared at the ink for a moment before bending down and handing it to the other first year. _

"_Thanks" Frank said _

"_Benjamin"_

"_Frank"_  
_After introducing themselves both boys looked around._

"_Do you know how to get to the Charms class room? I feel like I'm going in circles." Frank said_

_Benjamin nodded as he picked up a quill and plucked off the feather and placed it in-between two rocks in the wall making sure that it would remain there. _

"_There now we know we have been here before." Benjamin said giving Frank a smile._

_Both first they continued on their quest to find the Charms room. _

He smiled as he spoke in goblin, _"Thank you mentor"_

Professor Flitwick simply smiled as he walked away.

**Thank you ****for**** reading, please check out my other stories and leave a review, and until next time thank you for the support. **


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter it is owned by JK Rowling**

**The Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher**

**Chapter 3**

**Advice from the Snake**

It was with a start that Benjamin awoke the next morning with paper's stuck to his face.

"Morning Sir" The House Elf said in its high squeaky voice

"Morning Winnie it is 4am correct?" He asked. The elf nodded.

"Do you want breakfast sir?" Winnie asked

Benjamin shook his head and the elf popped away. The man stretched and got of bed, and headed toward his bathroom. His quarters were quite nice. With a bed, desk, and bathroom with a tub. After being shown into his quarters the new DADA teacher had gone over the files for the last school year and tried to come up with a few lesson plans. It was a disaster, years 4-7 were quite easy to do, but the lower years it seemed that had virtually learned nothing or self-taught. That would not do, so he spent the night trying to come up with lesson plans He only stopped to eat when Winnie (the House Elf that had been assigned to him) brought him meals. It was around midnight that his eyes finally closed.

Fresh from his shower Benjamin dressed in his workout clothes and headed outside. He headed toward the Black Lake and after some stretching he began in run laps around the lake. Sometime around the 4th lap he saw a tentacle appear out of the water. After the 6th more tentacle's appeared, and soon the Giant Squid itself was out of the lake.

"Morning" Benjamin said glancing up at the squid.

After lap ten the new professor decided that was enough and headed back toward the castle. Heading down he felt the cold air of the dungeons enter his skin. The chill that would cause others to shiver simply caused Benjamin to grin, For seven years this chill had meant home wasn't very far away. Even now it comforted him, but his destination was deeper in. Farther down a hallway a door stood ajar. Silently he pushed the door opened to show Potion Master Severus Snape bending over a cauldron.

"You can enter Voss." Severus said

"How did know you it was me?"

"I can smell you."

Benjamin took a sniff and yeah he needed another shower.

"You are correct my friend but first coffee."

"In my office."

A few minutes later Benjamin came back out into the Potion Class room with two cups of piping hot coffee.

Handing one to Snape he took a deep sip, "That hit the spot, if I knew back before OWL's year that Potions could help make coffee I wouldn't have dropped it."

"You took the job then." Severus said

Benjamin rolled his eyes, "You don't get to be bitter. If it was up to me I would still be at home. The only reason I'm here is because Filius asked me to be, and I owe him too much to say no to a favor without an excuse. But speaking of my new position I need your advice. I spent the evening going over files and lesson plans, and for the upper years everything is in place, but for the younger years I'm stuck."  
"These are children are trying to find there place in the world. Do what has always come easiest to you my friend. Tell them the truth." Severus said

"The truth, I can do that. Now it is my turn to give you some advice because friends do that. Don't judge young Harry Potter." The cup in Snape's hand shook. "He is not his father nor is he Lily, just like all the others he is trying to find himself. The Wizarding World as a whole will put more than enough pressure on him to succeed. It is not fair but that is the reality. He won't need anymore. Heed my words Severus if you go too far with the young Mr. Potter I will reign you in by _whatever means necessary_. I won't have these children suffer because of your grudge with a dead man. Do you understand?"

Severus glared at Benjamin but nodded his head.

The new DADA Professor smiled and finished his coffee. "Well like you said I stink so I'd better take another shower, and I'll see you at the meeting in a couple hours." With that he left.

Severus Snape eyed the door and shook his head. His old friend was annoying but he was correct. Plus Snape had seen _whatever means necessary _before. It was a scary thing to witness. Well the Marauders were spiteful pranksters, Voss was downright vicious not just in action but his words alone brought people to tears. To anyone who messed with his friends the man was a monster. If he believed in blood purity he would have been a perfect Death Eater. The Dark Lord had tried to recruit him, but his answer had been the messenger's head in a box. Voldemort had of course found it hilarious. Snape thought back to the first time he had seen the boy's viciousness. It would have to have been the evening after Black had lured him to the Shrieking Shack.

_Severus had stumbled into the common room angry and scared. Benjamin stood up from a chair and placed his hands on Snape's shoulder's_

"_Severus what happened?" He asked_

_Half an hour later Voss was pacing the common room back and forth angrily._

"_That bloody frickin piece of shite! I'm going to kill him. Although it does explain why Lupin always looked like crap. I'm actually a tad impressed with how he kept up with his studies." He collapsed into a chair. "The damn Goat wants to sweep it under the rug huh?" Benjamin's eyes spied a piece of hair on Snape's robe. "Is this Blacks?" Severus nodded. Benjamin gave a wicked grin, "Severus how truly skilled are you at Potions?" _

_It was a month later that a smirking Sirius Black strode confidently in the Great Hall during dinner and marched up to the teachers table and procced to moon the Professor's and student body as a whole well shaking his bum for a full minute before he the dashed out of the room._

_McGonagall lead the charge as the teachers ran out of the room, and found Black walking in the hall._

"_Mister Black in all my time I have never seen such a rude-"The Head of House's Scottish accent was coming out in full force as she grabbed Black by the scruff of his robes. She was yelling about detentions, and Black was pleading that it wasn't him. _

_From behind a wall stood Severus and a copy of Sirius Black who eyes were now a deep misty blue. _

Snape barley smiled at the memory, but it was one on the better ones he had from his school years, In the end Black had to clean the entire entrance hall without magic every night for a month. Snape also remembered how the two settled on the mooning after Severus threw out some more "radical ideas" that Voss had. The potion's master finished his coffee and headed toward the staff meeting.

**Thank you ****for ****reading, please check out my other stories and leave a review, and until next time thank you for the support. **


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter it is owned by JK Rowling**

**The Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher**

**AN: I just want to thank all of you for the large amount of support that the story has gotten, and I hope everyone is enjoying it. **

**Chapter 4**

**The Sorting**

Sat next to Severus Benjamin was overlooking the newly sorted students, two caught his eye. One of course was Harry Potter, as many expected he was sorted into Gryffindor. But the boy looked for lack of a better word "scrawny" he would have to speak to McGonagall about that. He glanced at the Potion's Master sitting next to him. When the young Potter had entered the Great Hall he noticed that Severus had at the very least not outright glared at the child. He considered that a victory. The second child that gained his attention was Neville Longbottom. The Professor chuckled he was the perfect blend of Frank and Alice. But he seemed a tad too nervous, it seemed he had two things to speak to McGonagall about.

After the feast Dumbledore stood up and began his traditional opening speech. Benjamin droned him out the same he did as a student, not caring for the man's grandstanding. But his ears perked up as the Headmaster spoke of the Forbidden Corridor. He gave Snape a sideways glance and the Potion's Master gave a nod. They would discuss this later. With the end of speech the students went to were sent to bed.

"Professor" was what caused Minerva to turn around in the hallway leading to her quarters.

The Deputy Head Mistress expected to see a student not there newly appointed Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.

"What can I do you Mr. Voss?"

Benjamin chuckled, _Still as stern as ever. _"I noticed a couple things about two of your newest lions that I thought you should know."

McGonagall raised an eyebrow, "What would those be?"

"Well Mr. Potter he seems for underfed, and small for his age. I know a few days in the Hospital Wing will fix him right up." Benjamin said noting the regretful look that the Professor was trying to hide. "The second is Mr. Longbottom. I know new students can be nervous. But he seemed too nervous."

His observation knocked McGonagall out of her thoughts. "From what I understand Augusta raised the boy with a firm hand."

Benjamin's eye narrowed at the words "firm hand". "Thank you the information, and have a good evening."

After getting some distance away Benjamin called Winnie.

With a pop the elf appeared, "What can I do for you sir?"

"Winnie can you please get me the bottle of whiskey in my room?" The man asked. With two pops the elf was back and handed him the bottle. "Thank you Winnie."

A soft knock on his door brought Snape up from his paperwork.

"Enter" He drawled

In came Benjamin with his bottle of whiskey. Well Snape raised an eyebrow.

The man rolled his eyes as he sat down, "Really Severus I lived in this dorm for seven years you don't think I couldn't guess the password?" With a wave of his cane two glasses appeared in front of the two men. Unsealing the bottle he asked. "Is there anything I need to know about the third floor corridor?."

Snape took a sip. "For now no."

Benjamin shrugged, "Well I went to the door and placed some charms, and such on it anyway. If any kids get any ideas they will regret it. What goes around in that Old Goat's mind? He basically challenged the school into finding out what is behind the door. ."

Severus wisely did not take the bait, he knew that Benjamin's view of the Head Master had fallen quite hard after the incident in the Shrieking Shack, and it had fallen further during the war with the Dark Lord.

Instead he changed the subject, "Are you ready for your first class tomorrow?"

Benjamin smirked, "We will see." He raised his glass, "_Sit enim vivimus et sumus et nos et fabulas narrare veterescent et dices ad eos: Sufficit" _"May we live so that we have stories to tell and may we grow old enough to tell them"

With a small smirk Severus clanked the glasses together.

**Thank you for reading, please check out my other stories and leave a review, and until next time thank you for the support. **


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter it is owned by JK Rowling**

**The Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher**

**Chapter 5**

**The First Lesson**

As the group of first year Gryffindor/ Hufflepuff's entered his class Benjamin sat on top of his desk, lighting tapping his cane against it.

"Welcome to your first Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson. I am Benjamin Voss. Professor Voss to you all." The man said hopping off the desk.

"Who here can tell me the definition of the Dark Arts?" Benjamin asked

Immediately a girls hand shot up in the air

Benjamin called on her, "Do you have the answer Ms. Granger?"

"The Dark Arts also known as Dark Magic, refers to any type of magic that is mainly used to cause harm, exert control over, or even kill." Hermione said

Benjamin nodded, "Correct take 5 points." Hermione beamed. "The most important word it that definition though was the word _mainly_. Let me give you all a demonstration. You all have learned the light spell correct Lumso?" He got a round of nods. "Good now watch closely." He lifted his cane and shouted "LUMSO!" At once a blinding flash exploded in the room. The next moment the room was back to normal but the students were rubbing their eyes. "Can anyone tell me what the point of that was?"

"To blind us you bloody nutter" A red headed boy said

Benjamin smirked, "Partially but there is a bigger reason. Oh and -1 point for language."

Hermione glared at the red head.

Benjamin sat back down on his desk, "What I am going to tell you may be the most important piece of information you ever receive in this school. Magic is a gift, but is it dangerous, also a weapon and like any weapon magic is about intent. Even the simplest spell can have massive backlash depending on how you use it. Light and Dark are simply titles. Almost any spell can be used for a dozen purposes both to help and hinder people. My job is to teach you how to defend yourselves against the most deadly things in the magical world, but none of that matters if you do not treat magic with the respect, and fear that it deserves. Do you all understand?"

Again he got a round of nods.

Benjamin gave a small smile, "Good. Now for the rest of class I want you to write about 3 spells and how they can used outside of their intended purpose like I did with Lumso, If you can give me 5 I will give you two House Points. Now get to it." He turned around and heard the sound of writing.

It was hours later after dinner and Benjamin was in his office grading the first year's papers. When Winnie appeared.

"What can I do for you Winnie?"

"The Headmaster would like to speak with you. The Passwords is Mars Bars."

Benjamin sighed he knew this was coming. He put his papers away and headed toward the door.

"Thank you Winnie I will be there in a few minutes." With a pop the elf was gone.

**Thank you for reading, please check out my other stories and leave a review, and until next time thank you for the support. **


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter it is owned by JK Rowling**

**The Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher**

**AN: If you guys have any thoughts about who Benjamin should be paired with send me a PM or leave your suggestion in a review. Enjoy the chapter.**

**Chapter 6**

**A Talk with a Goat**

With the password spoken the eagle guarding the door opened and Benjamin walked into the Headmaster's office.

Dumbledore was sat at his desk writing on a piece of parchment when he noticed Benjamin enter.

He greeted the man with a smile, "Welcome my boy please sit. Can I offer you a lemon drop?"

Benjamin sat in the opposite chair, "No thank you. Why have you called me here? it is quite late and I was grading."

The Headmaster's eyes twinkled, "Yes it was your day of teaching, how did it go?"

"As to be inspected, it was quite a challenge having to make lesson plans though."

Dumbledore chuckled, "Yes I assume with the curse on the post the children have not been getting what one would call a "complete" education.

"While it is a curse I intend to break." The teacher said confidently

The Headmaster raised an eyebrow, "Really?"

Benjamin nodded, "What is the reason you have called me Headmaster?"

The old wizard's face turned into a frown and he leaned forward at his desk, "I have gathered some unsettling information about your speech to the first years."

"Oh what would that be?"

"That you told them that there is no difference be the Light and Dark magic's."

"There isn't, a man with your knowledge should know that. Magic is all about intent like I demonstrated in class today."

"Still I believe it is our duty as educators to teach these child what is right and what is wrong."

"I disagree Headmaster, that is for their parents to teach them. We are here to teach them magic,. it is there choice on how to use it, and if they choose the wrong way they will face the consequences."

"Still I must insist you go back to teaching the traditional literature." The Headmaster said as he began to write on the parchment again.

"Or what? You can't fire me. I read the contract you had me sign, even the fine print. Unless I intentionally harm a student you can't fire me until the year is over. Besides I find it quite hilarious that you speak about knowing the difference between the Light and the Dark."

Dumbledore glared at Benjamin, "Watch how you speak to me young man."

"Why should I fear the words of a coward?" Benjamin asked

"Coward?" The old wizard asked

"Yes you Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore are a coward and a fake. I know this because while Voldemort tortured, and murdered his way across our world, you the one wizard he feared. The one wizard with the strength to fight him cowered in his castle!" Benjamin was standing now. "At any time you could have stopped him. But no you the grand chess master stayed safe and protected well you let pawns fall and die. They may have been pawns to you you Old Goat, but to me they were people. The smells of the dead fill my nose when I sleep, and their faces flash in front of me in nightmares."

"What would have me do face him or die trying?" Dumbledore asked

"YES! If you were half the Leader of Light you claim to be you would have done just that. The truth is Headmaster Harry Potter shouldn't be the Boy Who Lived, and Neville Longbottom's parents shouldn't be in Saint Mungo's. The truth Headmaster is that I blame your inaction, just as much as Voldemort and his Death Eaters for the deaths in the war." Benjamin said heading toward the door.

"If you loathe me so much why agree to teach?"

"Because Flitwick asked me, and because we both know that the Dark Lord will return. If these kids are going to survive they need to know how to defend themselves and I am just the man to teach them. Good Evening Headmaster." With that Benjamin left.

As the door closed Albus turned toward the large window in his office.

Benjamin entered his room breathily heavily, His anger getting the better of him he shouted; "DAMN IT!" a burst of magic destroyed a few trinkets in his room as he slammed himself onto his bed. He hadn't meant to tell the Headmaster his true thoughts. His plan had been to be respectful. But the way Dumbledore spoke, how arrogant he was. It rubbed him the wrong way and Benjamin snapped and went off script. The man took a deep breath tomorrow was the start of the weekend. Hopefully it would lead to a better day.

**Thank you for reading, please check out my other stories and leave a review, and until next time thank you for the support. **


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter it is owned by JK Rowling**

**The Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher**

**AN: Hey guys I'm still looking for suggestions about who you think I should pair Benjamin with. If you have a choice please PM me or leave a review. It can be an OC just send me the information in a PM. Either way enjoy the chapter.**

**Chapter 7**

**Harsh Truths **

Benjamin awoke the next morning by being shaken by Winnie.

"Sir wake up." The House Elf said

Grumbling Benjamin sat up and pushed the blanket off him. Wait a blanket? He didn't have a blanket on him last night. He turned to the House Elf who was preparing breakfast for him.  
"Winnie did you put a blanket on me last night?"

She nodded, "Yes you were groaning as well as tossing and turning. I put a blanket on you and you stopped."

Benjamin gave the elf a small smile. "Thank you Winnie."

There was a knocking at the door and Winnie opened it to and allowed Professor Flitwick to enter.

"I noticed a peculiar sight this morning. Our esteemed Headmaster had a look of contemplation on his face, the same look that I have after a conversation with you." The Charms Professor said taking a seat across from Benjamin.

With a sigh and a bite of a bagel the DADA teacher told the tale of last night.

After he was done Flitwick sighed, "I am not surprised you took action in the war. But I feel you were too harsh of Albus."

"But was I wrong? The Old Goat could have ended the war if he simply had the courage to fight." Benjamin spat

Flitwick sighed and with his wand vanished the chair that his student was sitting on and Benjamin fell onto his back.

"_I am disappointed." _He spoke in goblin. "Albus for all his flaws cares about the magical world, he may at times go about it the wrong way, but at his core he cares. While you my student are simply pitying yourself."

Benjamin narrowed his eyes as he rose to his feet, "_I am pitying myself mentor."_ He spat the sentence. "I saw the bodies and smelled the death. It haunts my nightmares-"  
"Are you truly that self-centered to think you are the only who relives the war. Myself, Minerva, Pomona, and even Albus fought students that we ourselves taught. Students that were lured into darkness by a madman who too was once a student of Hogwarts. We had to face the hard truth that the deaths these students caused were because _we_ taught them how to wield there magic. Even now that realization causes me to toss and turn late into the night. The fact is even if Albus did face the Dark Lord and win, the problems of our society would not be fixed. Albus has tried but he is just one man\\. I know the Voss family is not that powerful but I know you have votes. But yet you hid away and allowed certain things to pass untested, so in a way you are just as much to blame as Albus. The Headmaster is trying, but you my student are hiding. Why?"

Benjamin let out a breath and nearly collapsed on the floor. "It was near the end of the war. When I was able to intercept a call that there was an attack on an orphanage. But when I arrived I wasn't prepared for the scene. Whoever the Dark Lord had sent must have hated these children, because I don't remember seeing an intact body. Mentor they didn't kill this kids, they _butchered _them_._ Then I saw that one Death Eater had stayed to admire there handy work. Whatever emotions I felt turned to pure rage and I charged at them before I spell left their lips. This wasn't a fight or a duel. I did the same as they did to those kids, I butchered them. I broke arms and legs, the pleading was like music to my ears. Then in the end I kept slamming there face in the dirt over and over. Until there head was nothing but mush. Now they would never be identified, never able to be mourned just like those children. Something dark, something evil entered me that night Professor. After I left the site of the orphanage I knew that I had failed, that I had become the very thing I was hunting. I hid away from the world preparing for a war I half hoped would come so that I could find redemption, that I could prove that I wasn't a failure."

Filius placed his hand on Benjamin's shoulder, "Your chance for redemption is now. Teach these children. Teach them so that if they must fight they will be ready, and pray that you are wrong."

"_I will try Mentor" _Benjamin spoke in goblin

"_That is all any of us can do." _Flitwick said as he stood up. "Come now it past 8 let us train."

As Benjamin stood up he felt a weight on his legs and saw Winnie hugging him and her large eyes stared into his as she said.

"Sir is _not _a failure." The House Elf said with confidence.

He gave the House Elf a small sad smile, "Thank you Winnie." And with that he followed the Charms Professor out of the room.

It was hours later and a sweating Benjamin was headed toward his room, when he noticed a door was slightly a jar. Looking around he didn't see anyone and was about to close it. When peered inside and saw that it was empty expect for an object in the middle of the room. His curiosity to great Benjamin opened the door and walked in. What he saw was a large object in the middle of the room covered with a cloth. With a few steps he pulled the cloth part way up and revealed a mirror. He could see it very old and soon the image of himself was joined but a woman with long flowing black hair and amber eyes with a dark blue dress draped over her figure. The woman stood behind him and smile, before placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. Benjamin reached back but felt only air, and gave a sad smile. _"Mother"_

"I believe you know what that is?" The voice of the Headmaster broke his thoughts and he dropped the cloth back so that mirror was covered.

"Yes I do." Benjamin said as Dumbledore walked up next to him. There was silence between the two for a few moments, "Headmaster I would like to apologize, I was quite harsh last night."

Dumbledore nodded, "Yes you were, but there was truth in your words. I was forced to face those truths when I noticed the size on first year class. How many more students we should have had."

"Yes but what's done is done Headmaster. We must look toward the future and make these students the best they can possibly be."

Albus gave a sad smile, "If it was only that simple my boy."

"We can try to make that simple Headmaster." Benjamin said

"Yes we can. Filius we right about you. A snake with the heart of a lion. That is how he described you." The Headmaster said with a small smile.

"I don't know whether to be insulted or not Headmaster." Benjamin said with a smirk as he left the room.

**Thank you for reading, please check out my other stories and leave a review. Until next time thank you for the support. **


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter it is owned by JK Rowling**

**The Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher**

**AN: Okay guys I am giving it one more chapter for your suggestions about who Benjamin should be paired with. Send me a PM or a review. I am also accepting OC's, if you have one that you want to see Benjamin paired with send me a PM. **

**Chapter 8**

**After School Special**

It was a calm Sunday afternoon when Benjamin entered the library. He had gone there to research a few spells for a lecture. His plans were changed when he noticed the figure of Ms, Hermione Granger camped out in back with a stack of books

"Ms. Granger what are you doing inside on a day like today?"

"Oh Professor, I was studying." The girl said

"I can see that, but still why aren't you outside with your friends?" The teacher saw her shoulder's slump at the word friends, "You haven't made any yet."

Hermione scowled, "I tried sure, I given people help on homework-"

"Have they asked for your help though?"

"Hey?" The bushy hair girl asked

"The people you have given help to did they ask for it?" The girl's embarrassed blush was the only answer he needed. Benjamin sighed, "Ms. Granger it is certain that you are very intelligent, but part of intelligence is knowing how and when to use it. Take for example you answering all the class questions. I know you mean no harm when you raise your hand first, but by doing after every question you cause the other students to not even want to try. In a way your eagerness is hurting other student's chances at learning." The girl gasped. "My last piece of advice Ms. Granger is take a breath. You have entered a brand new world take the time to take it all in. Trust me in a few years' even magic gets old." He finished with a smile as he headed toward the door. "Oh and Ms. Granger my door is always open."

"Okay Professor." The girl replied

It was the following Tuesday and Benjamin was watching the first year Gryffindor/Slytherin flying class from a window not too far away. He himself didn't care about the art of flying or Quidditch at all, but the broom was a simple rite of passage for young witch and wizards. As one the line of first years shouted UP!. Some brooms shot right into hands, while others rolled on the grounds, but in a few minutes all the first years were on there brooms. But as Hooch gave an order Neville Longbottom shot off like a rocket.

Benjamin's eyes widened as with a wave of his cane the window in front of him vanished and he stood on the edge of the window sill as Neville approached. With a jump The DADA Professor reached out and grabbed the wayward broom with both hands and climbed on it behind Neville.

"You're having a crazy day huh Mr. Longbottom?" He said with a smile. All he was got a nervous nod. "Don't worry just take a breath and we'll be fine-"A crack was heard as the broom broke in half.

Act quickly Benjamin grabbed Neville and shoved the boy into his chest and with his cane cast a cushioning charm of them. They still hit the ground and bounced a few feet but they were both fine. .

"Are you okay Neville?" He asked as they stood up. The boy gave a shaky nod.

Hooch ran over to them, "You two okay?"

Benjamin nodded, "Still I'll take him to Pomfrey. Just in case. Come on Neville."

A few minutes later the two were in beds being poke and prodded by the school nurse.

"Mr. Longbottom you are fine. Mr. Voss please close the curtain and remove your shirt. I need to see if there is any damage." Pomfrey said

Benjamin rolled his eyes." I am fine." Pomfrey simply glared at him. The sight that greeted the nurse made her gasp in horror. Over half of the Professors back was covered in scar tissue, the some scars looked a couple decades old, others looked just a few years old, but one thing was clear none had healed properly.

"Benjamin what happened to you?" Pomfrey asked

The man gave a small grin, "I was in a war Madam. Now if there is nothing else. Am I free to go?"

The nurse gave a shaky nod and the next moment the two were gone from the Hospital Wing.

"You have had an exciting morning huh?"

Neville simply shrugged his shoulders. "It's just another thing I'm pants at sir. I can't do magic well. I stink at Potions, and I'm only good at Herbology. Which is an easy class, I shouldn't be here." The next second the boy felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Neville I knew your parents. I was friends with your father and I only met your mother a handful of times but trust me, they wouldn't care what you are or what you aren't good at. They would want you to try your best. That is all any of us can do." He said with a smile.

Sniffling Neville captured Benjamin in a hug, and a few seconds later the boy released him.

"Sir would it be okay if sometimes I came to your office and you told me about my parents?" Neville asked shyly

The Professor nodded, "Of course Neville." With that the boy headed back to his dorm.

**Thank you for reading, please check out my other stories and leave a review. Until next time thank you for the support. **


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter it is owned by JK Rowling**

**The Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher**

**Chapter 9**

**House Calls **

As Neville headed back to his dorm Benjamin called Winnie to his side.

"Yes sir." The Elf said

"Are there any rules against teachers leaving the school during the week?"

"No sir"

"And if I visit the home addresses of a couple of students is it illegal for me to do so?"

The elf grimaced.

"I'll take that as a maybe, but I am willing to risk it. I will be back for dinner at the latest." Benjamin said as he headed to Hogsmeade so that he could apparate.

The next moment The DADA teacher was in front of Longbottom Manor. A small smile came to his face, it was just like Frank had described. The manor was strong and opposing made of white stone and with a closer look he saw various runes carved into the stone. Taking a breath he knocked on the door.

After some shuffling the form of Augusta Longbottom answered the door.

"What can I do for you?" She asked

"Hello Lady Longbottom, my name is Benjamin Voss and I am the new DADA Professor, and there was an incident with your grandson Neville this afternoon." The Professor said and noticed the worry in her eyes, but there was also a bit anger and annoyance.

"Is he okay?" Augusta asked

"He is fine, but your grandson is a very nervous young man. My question is what did you do to him?"

Augusta's eyes narrowed in anger and she nearly drew he wand, "How dare you suggest I would assault my own flush and blood." She spat.

"You do not have to beat a child to harm them." Was his curt reply.

Lady Longbottom looked almost guilty for a moment before she simply led him inside. She led him to the main sitting that over the fire place was portrait of Frank and Alice holding a newly born Neville.

"Can I have the elf get you something to drink?"

"No, but please tell me why is your grandson so hard on himself?"

Augusta sighed as a House Elf appeared and poured something in a glass before disappearing again. "What you have to understand is that I expect great things from Neville the entire family does. So I pushed him, but he didn't show any signs of magic. His father didn't have that problem in fact-"

"So that is your reasoning for treating his son like a failure, because he isn't a clone of his father?" Benjamin said trying to keep the anger out of his voice but failing.

"What do you know about my Frank?" Augusta asked

"I know that if you continue treating his son like trash that when your time comes, and you arrive in the afterlife, he will never forgive you."

Lady Longbottom narrowed her eyes for a moment until she remembered, "Voss the Slytherin, my son talked about you. He was devastated when you stopped being his friend."

"I never stopped being his friend. I simply saw the way the winds were blowing and knew it was safer for the both of us to not be seen together. I did hunt the Death Eaters that cursed them. For two days I didn't eat or sleep, and I was mere minutes behind the aurors. If I had arrived first they be dead not rotting in prison," Benjamin said. In the silence after his words he looked around his the noticed that there was one thing out of place. "Where is Frank's wand?"

"I gave it to Neville." Augusta said

Benjamin wanted smack the woman for her ignorance but he simply took a breath, "The boy needs his own wand. Frank's should be here in this house. I suggest you take Neville to get his own as soon as possible, so he can actually practice magic."

"Who are you tell me to go anything?" Augusta asked

Benjamin smirked, "I'm no one. Good day Lady Longbottom."

"Hold one moment Mr. Voss" Augusta waved her wand and a picture frame came flying into his hand. "I believe Frank would like you to have that." She said handing said him the photo.

The photo was a first year him and Frank smiling and chasing each other outside in the court yard.

"Thank you Lady Longbottom." Benjamin with a small smile as with a flash he vanished.

With another a small pop the Professor arrived in a higher middle class English neighborhood. Looking down quickly he noticed his state of dress and quickly changed his robes into a dark blue blazer and matching pants. Walking to a house he knocked on the door and a woman answered.

"Hello are you Emma Granger?" The woman nodded. "My name is Benjamin Voss a Professor at your daughter's school, don't worry nothing is wrong I was just wondering if could speak with you and perhaps your husband for a few minutes?"

Emma nodded and let the man enter her home as she called for her husband George to come downstairs. After shaking the man's hand Benjamin took a seat across from the parents.

"First off I would like to say that your daughter is one the smartest young women I have ever seen, but has some trouble adjusting but I believe I was able to help her make the adjustment easier. My question is more about what you. Were told about our world."

The husband and wife looked at each other.

"For example were you told that we had a Blood War about 2 decades ago?" The reaction he got were two pairs of wide eyes. "Okay this is going to take some time." For the next hour Benjamin told them about the war at between the Dark Lord and the rest of Magical Britain.

At the end of it Mr, Granger had a frown on his face, "Why weren't we told about this by that McGonagall woman?

"I'm sure my colleague met no disrespect by not telling you. For much of the magical world the war is long over, but for some us it never ended." He said

"What if we pull Hermione from the school?" Emma asked

"Her wand will be snapped, her magic bound, and your memories will be wiped." Benjamin said quite frankly.

"That's barbaric!" Emma yelled.

"Maybe but it is how we protect ourselves from outside threats, granted most magical people don't know that you muggles have bombs that can wipe us out in a mill second."

George Granger raised an eyebrow, "Why do you know that?"

Benjamin shrugged, "I got bored one summer and spent some time in Muggle London. But the point is having your daughter drop is not the best option. The fact is we need people like her, Smart, and outgoing. She could even help change the system. The magical world is small, and as long as the Pure Bloods have their way it will keeping getting smaller. We need new blood to keep on our kind alive. But most Pure and Half Bloods can't or refuse to see the reality in front of them."

"That is too much pressure to put on a young girl." Emma said

"That is why I'm talking to you instead. In the end it is your choice because she is your daughter. But I hope you think it through and send an owl to myself or Professor McGonagall with any questions." He looked around the home, "Is that a focal point to your home?"

"The fire place. Why?" George asked

Benjamin got up and the inside of the fireplace wrote a rune. "There is a rule outlawing children from doing magic at home. For people raised in Magical families the rule is meaningless because there is no way that our government can tell whose magical signature did said magic. In a home such as yours with only one magical user it is quite easy, and I don't find it fair that you can't see what your daughter has been working on. Basically I blocked the magical signature that would come out of this house."

"Thank you" Emma said

"It is not a problem. Whatever happens I wish you a good evening." Benjamin said

"You told us you were Pure Blood correct, do you believe in the same things as the others?"

"At one time I did, but on the summer I took to Muggle England I spent an entire afternoon riding you subway. It was then I finally put two and two together realized that we are more the same then we are different. But it not wizards and witches that you should be afraid of. It us who should be afraid of you. There is no spell that I know of that can stop an atomic bomb. If our two sides went to war, hell it wouldn't even be a war it would be a massacre. You have the weapons and numbers. In the end my people are simply odd balls dressed in robes that wave pieces of wood around. Deep down even the Pure Bloods know this to be true, and they use this fear to hold onto the power they have. It is the truth though that this fear will always be there, so in order to grow as a people that fear must be pushed aside or it must be used in a way that allows for a greater understanding between Magicals and Muggles."

"Are you in politics?" Emma asked

"No my house has actually little power."

"How unfortunate because to seem to be one of few wizards with that has thought things through." George said

"You have my word I will look out for your daughter." Benjamin said as got up from his seat

He shook the parent's hands and left the home and after finding a empty back yard he apparated to Hogsmeade. As he made his way to his quarters he took the picture that Augusta had given him and placed on his desk. On the desk was plate with a sandwich. _Thank you Winnie_. He thought as he took a bite.

As he finished his dinner there was knock on his door.

"Enter" He said It was Minerva McGonagall who entered. "Professor to what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I got an owl from Augusta Longbottom this evening. Asking permission to take Mister Longbottom wand shopping. She also mentioned you visited her this afternoon."

"I did, and I told her about Neville's accident with the broom, and you should also expect a letter from Ms. Granger's parents as well. They may have decided to take her out of school."

"Why on earth would they do that?"  
"Because I told them the truth, how she would be treated like a third class citizen and struggles she would face. Something you should have done when you told her about her magic."

"I didn't what the young girl to be disillusioned-"

"She should have known she was facing an uphill battle. Our world is wonderful, but it has it problems, and people like her that have new ideas can help change it. But they have to know what they are up against first." He sighed. "I know that because these students are Lions you feel that I am stepping on your toes. For that I apologize, but I will help any student that I feel needs it, house colors don't matter. That's my job isn't?"

"Yes, Yes it is." McGonagall said

"Then please Professor let me do my job, Have a good evening." Benjamin said

Knowing a dismal when she heard one the Deputy Headmistress left the office.

Flitwick was grading papers when Minerva entered and nearly slumped into the chair across from him.

"Filius talking to your apprentice is unnerving."

Filius smirked, "Because he could answer all your questions before you asked, and also because he got the last word. It is how he survives Minerva." All he got in response was a raised eyebrow. Filius sighed, "The man is broken Minerva, he was broken long before he came to Hogwarts. The truth is I simply saw the pieces left and tried to make a half decent person out of them. But back to Benjamin's talent, yes Minerva that is how the young survives by knowing all the questions and all the answers. The young man seems to always have a plan."

"He seems like a decent teacher though." McGonagall said

"Yes the students seem to like him." Flitwick said

With that the two Professors sat in silence before Filius went back to grading papers.

**Thank you for reading, please check out my other stories and leave a review. Until next time thank you for the support. **


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter it is owned by JK Rowling**

**The Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher**

**Chapter 10**

**Lines Crossed & Drawn **

It was after another first year DADA class that Harry Potter found himself walking up to his Professor's desk.

"How can I help you Mr. Potter?" Benjamin asked

"Um, well Hermione and Neville told me how you talked to them, and I heard a rumor that you and Professor Snape are friends-"  
"He isn't being fair to you is he?"

The boy nodded his head and with a sigh he gestured for the student to sit down. There was silence for a few moments.

"Mr. Potter before I tell you a few things I want to say that I think your parents were heroes. But it is also important to remember that they human and had flaws. It is also important to know that even though I was in the same year as your parents I didn't know them. So take everything I say with a grain of salt. Do you understand?"

The boy nodded.

"I will start with your father. I won't mince words Mr. Potter your father along with his three friends were bullies, and there target was Professor Snape. Not that this rivalry was one sided, Severus gave as just good as he got, but that is neither here nor there. This rivalry was based around the fact that Professor Snape was friends with your mother. But sometime around fifth year words were said between the two. Words that couldn't be taken back, and there friendship was ruined. Not soon after her and your father began dating. But the most important thing to remember about your father is that he grew up. The boy who I knew during school wouldn't have had the courage to sacrifice himself Gryffindor or not." Benjamin finished with a smile.

"What about my Mom?" Harry asked quietly

"The best way I can describe your mother is that she was as smart as Ms. Granger expect she had people skills. From what I understand she was quite popular with a fiery temper." He finished with another smile.

The boy tried to hide it but he saw that the child's eyes were getting misty. Thinking quickly Benjamin ducked his head and signed a random piece of paper. That gave Harry the chance to wipe his tears away.

"What is your next class Mr. Potter?"

"Charms sir."

"Okay here's a note. Now get a move on your late already."

"Sir thanks."

"No problem Mr. Potter and remember my door is always open."

As Harry left the small smile on the Professor's face turned to a frown and he headed toward the dungeons.

Knocking on the classroom door Benjamin entered to see Snape at his desk grading.

"Severus I was just visited by Harry Potter." Snape glared at the mention of Harry and his friend just sighed. "I thought you had gotten over this."

"You think it is that simple-"

"The man is dead Severus! You are alive and if you claim to love Lily as much as you did you would let the matter drop. Harry is not James nor is he Lily he is a child that needs our help. If I spotted it at the Welcoming Feast then you did as well. He was small and under fed. The boy has had led a hard life, and if two men can understand that it is us." Benjamin narrowed his eyes, "Unless, Severus please don't tell me you get some sick pleasure out of seeing the boy hurt."

Snape surged to his feet, "What do you take me for Benjamin. Of course I don't!"

"Then what aren't you telling me?"

Snape paced back and forth, "I begged the Dark Lord to spare her."

Benjamin eye widened, His voice was soft almost disbelieving "You didn't it, you did. YOU OBESSIVE, PATHIC, WASTE OF A MAN!" Benjamin drew his blade and had it at Snape's throat the tip of the blade crackling with magic as Severus pointed his own wand in between the DADA teacher's eyes.

"The Dark Lord was going to target them no matter what I did, the least I could do was save my old friend." Severus said

"We both know it had little to do with saving Lily. This was all to one up James Potter, because you can't the reality in front of you."

"Oh and what would that be?" Snape sneered

Benjamin sighed, "Even if James Potter didn't exist Lily wouldn't have fallen for you."

Snape's sneered intensified by it was a distraction. It gave Benjamin enough time to smack Snape's wand with his sword and force him to drop his wand.

"Who are you to talk to me about love? You never dated, you have always been alone."

"No Severus I haven't and neither have you; we had each other, but now we are simply colleagues nothing more. As with Lily your words and actions have destroyed another friendship. Make no mistake the Dark Lord will return and when he does I will fight against him. Be warned Severus if you are foolish enough to once again join him., I will do the same to you as I did to the others who bare his mark. Then you will have the chance to explain yourself to Lily personally."

With those last words an eerie silence hung over the Potions room as Benjamin made his way back to his quarters.

**Thank you for reading, please check out my other stories and leave a review. Until next time thank you for the support. **


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter it is owned by JK Rowling**

**The Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher**

**Chapter 11**

**Stories and Biscuits**

Benjamin arrived at the door at of his quarters to see a scowling Professor McGonagall waiting for him.

The man sighed, "What can I do for you this afternoon?"

"I just got out of a talk with Mr. Potter. How dare you tell him James was a bully?!"

Benjamin narrowed his eyes he did not need this, "You mean how I dare tell the boy the truth? Would you rather he heard about his parents from Severus? How James Potter was a demon who stole his friend away from him, or perhaps you should have told him? I have no doubt you would have painted them as angels who were flawless. We know that both versions aren't entirely accurate. Yes I told the boy the truth, a child should know there parents both the good and the bad. Don't you agree?"

During his speech the frown on McGonagall's speech lessened, "You are correct. I am sorry its just-"

"I understand Professor." The DADA teacher cut her off.

"Would like to come to my office for a biscuit?"

Benjamin grinned, "Ms. McGonagall are you propositioning me?"

The older Professor's face reddened, "Of course not, I simply want to get know you better."

"You could get that information from Flitwick."

"Yes I could, but I would rather get it from you."

"Well than lead the way Professor." Benjamin said

A few moments later the two found themselves in McGonagall's office.

"What do you wish to know?"

McGonagall sighed, "How did you come up your thoughts on the nature of magic?"

Benjamin gave a smile, "That is the big one isn't it? What was your first bout of accidental magic?"

"I was five, and my mother had told me I could not have a cookie. The jar was on a high self and the next moment it was in my hand." McGonagall said with a smile

"That is a nice moment; mine was when I saw my mother lying dead on the floor. I released a burst of magic that shook the whole manor. From then on magic became something that I used to survive, and when you are trying to survive labels like Light and Dark become meaningless."

"Surly your father would have-"

"What father, the only information I have on the man is that he is a Pure Blood."

"Then who raised you?"

"Goblin's and they didn't raise me as much as showed up from time to time to make sure I didn't kill myself."

"Why would the goblin's care about you?"

"Some time during one of the many wars. I believe my ancestor spared the life of their then king. Goblins remember debts and they wanted to pay this one off. So until I entered Hogwarts a goblin would stop by every few days and make sure I was eating, studying, sleeping, you know normal things."

"Do you know what happened to her mother?"

"From what the goblins could see it was a spell gone wrong, and well you know about my school years. Flitwick gained an interest myself and taught me the art of dueling,"

"Why did you end your friendship with Mr. Longbottom?"

"We both know that the Dark Lord's war started here in this school. Sides were taken long before the first spell was ever fired, and because of the reputation on my house I figured it was safer for both of us if we won't friends anymore. But I was wrong." Benjamin looked down.

"Why didn't you join the Order to help stop the Dark Lord?"

"Because I don't agree with Dumbledore, nor do I trust the man. He could have ended the war but instead he let good people die well he played chess master."

McGonagall grimaced, "There is something you should know Mr. Voss"

Benjamin stormed toward the Headmaster's office and glared at the gargoyle standing guard.

"Move or I will destroy you."

The gargoyle spun around and revealed the steps.

The Headmaster was at his desk as the DADA teacher came rushing in at full steam and slammed his fists on the man's desk causing small cracks to appear.

"YOU OLD, FOOLISH, MANIPULATIVE, PIECE OF DRAGON DUNG! You take the Philosopher's Stone and hide at a school full of curious, stupid, children, and not only tell them about where it is hidden, you challenge them to try to get it. I am force to ask, HAVE YOU LOST YOUR DAMN MIND!" I swear to Merlin if I didn't know that Malfoy would replace you with a damn Death Eater I would go to the Board of Governs and have you thrown of this school." Benjamin finished nearly collapsing in a chair.

"The stone was here Mr. Voss, but after our last conversation I had it returned."

"And yet you still want to set a trap for the Dark Lord in a school full of children."

"Would you rather have him not have an objective and simply cause chaos and death?" The Headmaster asked

"The point is you shouldn't have set a trap for him in the first place, not here."

"What's done is done."

"At least tell me you have a way to monitor when someone enters the door."

"I do."  
"Good then add me to it."

Albus raised an eyebrow, "Why should I?"

"Because I am the DADA teacher and it is my job to deal with threats to the school. Who is a bigger threat then the Dark Lord?"

The old wizard gave it a moment of thought and nodded and with a wave of his wand Benjamin felt his magic being connected to the castle or at least a small part of it.

"Have a good evening Mr. Voss "

"You have a goodnight as well Headmaster."

"Mr. Voss thank you for keeping your language to the word "dung"."

The teacher gave a small smirk as he left the office. He needed a drink and it wasn't 3pm yet.

**Thank you for reading, please check out my other stories and leave a review. Until next time thank you for the support. **


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter it is owned by JK Rowling**

**The Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher**

**Chapter 12**

**Holiday Havoc**

It was with a loud slam that Benjamin entered his quarters. With a deep breath he sat down on his bed. He turned to lay down when he noticed a bottle on his desk side table.

"Winnie?" He asked as with a pop the elf appeared, he turned the bottle toward the elf. "This is a bottle of whiskey I have in my home. How is it here?"

The elf had the decent to blush, "I got it."  
"I warded my home against House Elf magic."

"Maybe you don't know House Elf's as well as you think you do Sir."

Benjamin smirked, "Perhaps having my own elf would help with that."

Winnie's eyes widened, "Sir?"

"Winnie in my short life I have had only two true friends. One friend I let leave because I could see the writing on the wall and it was better that we part ways. The other, " He took a breath "He is no longer a man I can support. The long and short of it is I consider you a friend Winnie. Do you wish to make it official?" He held out his hand.

Shakily Winnie took the offered hand and a small but powerful burst of magic occured. The wizard and elf where bonded.

Winnie felt the connection flow threw her and shivered as just a sliver of Benjamin's magic entered her. He was much more powerful then she realized. When the elf got her footing back she saw a grinning Benjamin pouring two drinks. He handed one too her.

"Too new friendships." He said as he down the glass.

With a small smile the elf did the same.

The sound of laughter and chatter and echoed across the Great Hall on Halloween, as Benjamin surveyed the house tables. What caught his eye were three arguing 1st years boys including Ron Weasley, Neville Longbottom, and Harry Potter. After Weasley went back to eating Harry and Neville shared a look. Both boys quickly ran out of the hall. His interest peaked the DADA professor excused himself and followed the two first years.

The first thing that hit the man was the smell, recognizing it he moved to quick jog. The smell led to a restroom and it took his mind a second to register what he was seeing. A Mountain Troll was swinging it's club wildly around, while Harry Potter was holding on for dear life with his wand in the Troll's nose. Meanwhile Hermione Granger was huddled under a sink. Neville had his wand out waiting for a moment to strike.  
The moment came when the Troll turned toward the boy, "LUMSO!" He shouted as a blinding light shot out of his wand.

Now unable to see the Troll's swinging increased and that is when Benjamin acted. He cast a powerful Redcuto at the Troll's knee and it was blown apart, and the monster was forced to kneel. At that point Harry rolled off the beast wand in hand. Before the Troll could react The DADA professor drew his blade from his cane and cut it's throat.

Sheathing his blade he turned toward the three students. "Who wishes to tell me what happened?"

Hermione stepped up, "It is my fault Professor. Ronald Weasley said somethings and I needed to be alone. I heard the Troll but I couldn't escape, and that's when Neville and Harry appeared."

"Ms. Granger did you let this beast into the school?"

"Of course not sir!"

Benjamin smirked, "Then you have nothing to apologize for, as for my Weasley remarks I suggest telling your Head of House. Neville impressive spell work, 20 points for applying class work to the real world and another 10 to Mr. Potter for rushing to another's student's aid. Which reminds me." With a wave of his cane Harry's wand was clean. "You three return to the Great Hall and if anyone asks I'm tracking this thing to see how it got into the castle. One more thing, you three did well, but next time if possible come find me or another Professor. It is not your job to protect this school, it ours understand?" The three students nodded and headed out.

It was quite simple to track the Troll, the smell made it easy. It led to the dungeons and that led to barley used corridor where the castle wall was destroyed. Quickly cast a few spells it was shown that the wall had been weakened by a few powerful blasting spells. Leaving the castle he casted a Repairo on the wall and it reconstructed itself. The trail was followed until he reached the edge of the Forbidden Forest.

"Winne" he called as the elf appeared he gave the elf his cane. "If I do not return to this spot in an hour get the others. Got it?" The elf nodded as she popped away.

Benjamin took a moment and closed his eyes, and at once he body began to change, two legs became four and his body grew longer and orange fur appeared along with a mane of hair, and from his back appeared twin snake tails. Not even Benjamin was sure what his Animagus form was. The closet animal he had come across was the Chimera but even that had the goat part. The DADA professor had brewed the potion and perfected the transformation during his sixth and seventh years of school. It was a last ditch effort if everything else failed; luckily he hadn't had cause to use his transformation. But even Benjamin knew how dangerous the forest was and he needed to get in and out quick. With a roar the now transformed Benjamin entered the forest and tracked the Troll.

The eternal darkness of the forest turned into a starry night as Benjamin reappeared out of the forest now human. He tracked the Troll deep into the forest but lost it's trail, one thing was clear though the beast had help. His thoughts were stopped when Winnie appeared, with another nod the elf popped him to the entrance to where the others were discussing.

"Lad did you find anything?" The Headmaster asked

"Not really Headmaster. I tracked the beast deep into the Forbidden Forest but lost the trail. But whatever the reason the beast had help. I found the wall the Troll used as a doorway and it already had magical damage done to it." Benjamin gave his report.

"That is troubling, during the winter Holidays I will examine this myself and see if I can find anything. For now retire for the night all of you expect Mr. Voss are dismissed."

"You did well this evening, the Troll was taken care of quite easily. You are a hit with the students, and I believe that you just might break the curse. As a reward I am giving you the rest of the semester off." The Headmaster said

"Why? If I'm doing such a good job why let me leave early for winter break?"

"Mr. Voss consider it a reward for a job well done. I will take care of the rest of your classes. I will have an elf escort you out of the castle when you are ready to leave." The Headmaster said with a grandfatherly smile.

Benjamin leveled the man with a glare before leaving.

An hour later Benjamin and Winnie popped at his front door. With a few cane movements any protections were undone.

"Well welcome home Winnie. Pick any room that you want. As for the house itself I have kept it clean so there shouldn't be much to do." Benjamin said

"Sir why is that room locked?" Winnie asked

"That was the room my mother died in." Was the curt reply. The elf just nodded and popped away.

Benjamin just stared at door as the memory of his reflection in the Mirror of Erised. He touched the same shoulder his mother had. With a determined expression he walked toward the door and with a wave of his hand any magical locks were undone. But the as the door swung open the man froze as his met the spot he had found his mother's body. A ghostly image appeared in front of his eyes as he saw his younger self sobbing over his mother's corpse. Taking another deep breath he moved toward his mother's desk and pushed the papers aside to find a book on genealogy. With a raised eyebrow his eyes scanned some notes. He knew some of the names, they were from his own family tree, what was his mother trying to find?

The next few weeks were a blur to the man as he studied the notes his mother had left. It seemed that she was trying to find the very start of her family bloodline and was shifting through the Pure Blood tree, but that road could only go so far. The people that needed to be found were the Squibs but that was difficult as they weren't recorded on any family tree, but using guesswork birth, work and death records he was able to fill in the blanks. The only breaks he took were the ones that Winnie forced him to take. Christmas Eve Benjamin was when found his answer.

The man collapsed to the ground, he had gone over it a dozen times and rechecked his work. But still he didn't believe it.

"Winnie" he whispered.

"Yes sir" She said popping in

"I found it. I found it!" He said giddily capturing the elf in a hug. "Winnie I am a descendant of Salazar Slytherin himself.

The elf's eyes widened, "Are you sure sir"

The man nodded, "It is the Squibs they were answer. It appears that sometime during the centuries his bloodline split into two. The first one produced Squibs for a few hundred years until my family came into being the other line seems to have ended with the death of a woman from the Gaunt family. Of course there is only one way to know for sure. I have to go to the goblins." Benjamin began to walk away when Winnie appeared in front of him.

"Sir it is Christmas Eve. You can see the goblin's tomorrow. You will also want to shower and shave. This is important so you should look polished."

Benjamin raised an eyebrow and took a look in a mirror. His hair was long and shaggy and he had a prominent beard. Also now that he took a second to take it in he realized he stunk to high heaven.

"You are correct Winnie I will do just that. Oh and by the way Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas Sir." The elf replied as she left

Taking one last look at the room that had caused so many of his nightmares he smiled and headed for his bed, because for the first time in almost 20 years he was looking forward to Christmas morning.

**Thank you for reading, please check out my other stories and leave a review. Until next time thank you for the support. **


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter it is owned by JK Rowling**

**The Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher**

**Chapter 13**

**The Vault **

Early Christmas morning Benjamin found himself walking up the steps into Gringotts. With a push the door opened and the goblins stared at him.

"_Good Holidays. I wish to speak one of your tellers." _He spoke in goblin.

A few looked surprised but one simply nodded his head toward a desk.

"I need an inheritance test." He spoke to the teller

"To what family?"

"What does that matter?"

The goblin shook his hand and muttered, _"Stupid Wizard_"

"_Stupid perhaps, but not uneducated." _Was Benjamin's response

The goblin gave a wide toothy grin. "The reason I need the family name is because some families are so old we don't have any blood on file, and might need to go to the vault."  
"Slytherin" Benjamin said

Again the goblin smirked and led him to a cart. After what felt like hours the cart stopped at an ancient stone door with a giant snake carved into it. Goblin and Wizard got out and headed toward it. Benjamin gave the goblin a look, and the creature gestured with his hand for the wizard to walk forward.

Looking at the door Benjamin noticed that the snake's mouth at the bottom looked deeper then it appeared. Carefully he placed his hand inside the snake's mouth, and jolted a moment later as he felt a pair of fangs bite into his hand. As they retracted he pulled his hand out and the snakes eyes glowed a dark green before the door opened.

Taking a deep breath Benjamin entered the vault and with each step a set of magical lanterns glowed with an eerie green light. As he walked deeper into the vault all he saw was the light reflected off the gray wall until he reached a circle room. On a shelf there were a few journals, and a dark green robe with silver trim but in the center on a pedestal was an emerald ring with a silver snake etched into the top. But the odd thing was that behind the ring was a large egg.

"If wish to claim the inheritance you need to put on the ring." The goblin said

Nodding Benjamin picked up the ring and placed it on his left ring finger. At once he let out a silent scream and collapsed to his knees as foreign magic entered his body. He body shook as his already long hair grew even longer and became a darker shade of brown, and his once blue eyes lost a shade and became darker.

"Huh it seems the ring also was laced with a blood adoption potion. Impressive. I wonder what would have happened if you truly weren't of his blood. Something gruesome I hope. " The goblin said grinning

Benjamin was about to answer when a loud hissing entered his ears, and he turned to see the egg that was with the ring had hatched.

"_Yeah a new speaker." _

The wizard looked down and saw a dark blue snake about four feet long lying in front of him. He tried to speak but what came out instead was a hissing.

"_I can understand you." _

"_The old man told me I was to wait for someone to put on the ring, and protect them." _The snake hissed as it began to wrap itself up his left arm. Before biting him the next moment, _"With my venom flowing through your veins no poison will harm you speaker." _

"_Thank you for that. What is your name, and what kind of snake are you?" _Benjamin hissed

"_My name is Slick and I am uncertain what breed I am. From what the old man told me I am a hybrid of quite a few breeds." _The snake spoke

The goblin let out a loud cough, "If you two are done _speaking_ there is still the matter of paperwork." Making sure that Slick was in place and grabbing the journals and robe Benjamin followed the goblin out of the vault.

The man's eyebrows rose as he looked at figure on the paper. "That is a lot of galleons. By the look of that vault I thought he would be broke"

The goblin nodded, "Salazar gave very strict instructs to separate his money and his artifacts. Now what do you wish to do with your gold?"

Benjamin thought for a moment. "Take a fourth of it and put it into investments. I trust you to choose which. Keep half in there. As for the other half-"

A knock on the door stopped him, and the goblin gave an annoyed grunt, "Come in"

Another goblin entered, "I am sorry to interrupt. But I was informed that one Benjamin Voss had entered the bank, and was told to deliver this letter from the head goblin from the Longbottom account." The goblin handed the letter to Benjamin and left.

The man opened the letter and began to read it. After he finished he turned to the goblin "I know what I want done with the other half."

It was a tradition that on Christmas Neville and his grandmother would go and visit his parents, and tell them about what was going on in there lives. Neville didn't know if his parents could even understand him but be thought they could so he began to talk to them. "Hogwarts is okay. I got into Gryffindor. But when it comes to classes I'm not that good at anything expect Herbology, but I made friends with Harry and Hermione. There good friends, oh and speaking of friends Dad your friend Mr. Voss is the DADA teacher. His classes are the best and he seems to like me, but can I tell he is very sad. When he was talking about you and Mom I could see that was so lonely." Neville said to his parents at the foot of their bed.

"Neville the visiting time is about to end." Augusta said

"I have to go Merry Christmas Mom, and Dad." Neville said as he left the room, his mother's gum wrapper gripped tightly in his hand.

All the visitors left the staff of Saint Mungo's turned off the light to the Longbottoms room and closed the door. Out of the shadows stepped Benjamin who undid his invisibility spell. Looking at his friend and his wife he took a deep breath to push down the anger that rose in his chest seeing them like this, and took a seat on the floor between them.

"Your son is too hard on himself, he is far better at things then he gives himself credit for." Benjamin said once again looking over the letter he held in his hand. "Here I thought knowing I was the descendent of Salazar Slytherin would be the biggest shock I had this week , but then I get a letter that has been waiting for me for over a decade. A letter that says you made me that boy's godfather. I never thought that would happen, and I understand why you didn't tell me, it was during the war, and not soon after Neville was born you two went into hiding. Giving it to the bank was truly the smartest thing you could have done. I guess you thought I would go there sooner than I did. Not that I was in the right frame of mind to raise a child, but if I was there I could have at least helped with the boys self-esteem. Yet something else I have failed at, but unlike everything else I have a chance to make it right. I already sent up a trust fund for him when he reaches 17. Just in case he wants to travel the world or something after Hogwarts, and that way he doesn't have to rely of Augusta for money, so it gives him a bit of freedom. PBut again Neville doesn't seem like the type to blow all his galleons, so even if he decides to just let the money sit he has a nest egg." Benjamin took a breath. "I'm sorry it has been a long day. What it comes down to is this I promise both of you I will protect the boy with my life, and try to guide him to a become a man you would be proud of." He smirked, "Although I don't think he'll need my help to do the last part. Merry Christmas." And a with a call to Winnie Benjamin was gone.

**Thank you for reading, please check out my other stories and leave a review. Until next time thank you for the support. **


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter it is owned by JK Rowling**

**The Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher**

**Chapter 14**

**Family Affairs **

A few days passed since Benjamin had entered the Slytherin Vault. Winnie had gone to cleaning the manor, and Slick traveled the grounds eating any vermin. Meanwhile the new heir to Slytherin had been trying to decode the journal's he had grabbed from the vault. At first glance they seemed like the ravings of a madman but did deeper and they told parts of the man's life story. That did not mean the code was easy in fact he had only be able to decode a few pages. But two words kept appearing. "Locket, and ring". That is what led Benjamin to perform a location ritual using his own blood. All that needed to be done was for him to drink it. But first he had to meet someone.

The DADA teacher took a deep breath of the London air from the bench he sat on. A gentle smile on his face as he watched the people go about their daily lives.

"I must say Mr. Voss this is quite an odd place to have a meeting.' Spoke Augusta sitting down next to him.

"Yes, while it is favorite spot in all of muggle London." Spoke the teacher pulling out the letter he had received and handing it to the woman. "Your son told the goblins to give that letter to me the next time I entered the bank. What son didn't know was that I had no need to enter the bank until recently."

Lady Longbottom handed the man back the letter, "I must say neither of them told me that Neville had a godfather. Do you wish to tell the boy?"

Benjamin shook his head, "No, at least not now. If I tell him it will travel throughout the school and the last thing I want for him is have more trouble with rumors of favoritism. But you can give the boy this." He pulled out a wand hostler and handed to Augusta. "Call it a late Christmas present." With that he got up from the bench. "For what is worth Augusta I would have been a terrible god father."

"You seem to be doing a fine job." The woman replied as Benjamin vanished into thin air, and a moment later so did she.

Back at the manor Benjamin drank the vile of blood and the next moment his vison became twofold, in one eye he saw a rundown old shack, and other for the flash of second he a house. But the vision of the house vanished and all that was left was darkness. Something was interfering with the ritual. He would need to investigate that. That was later now he knew where he needed to go.

"_Slick time to go."_ He spoke for the snake. The next moment the snake was wrapped around his arm.

As the wizard appeared at a rundown house he immediately felt a negative presence. It reminded him eerily of the sites he visited during the war. Shaking his paranoia away Benjamin cast a locater charm and following it led him to a cellar. Casting Lumso all that was seen was dusty shelfs, but in the far back on a shelf was a glint of something that caught his eye. Walking closer he saw a simple ring with a blackstone sitting in the middle of the shelf, but as he reached for it he felt a pair of fangs dig into his arm.

"_No Speaker the object is cursed, and holds great evil within it. I will deal with it." _The snake spoke.

Slowly Slick untangled himself from Benjamin's arm and slithered over to the ring. Lurching up the snake bite into the ring. The next second there was a blast back of magic that threw Benjamin to the ground and sent Slick flying, and the wizard swore he heard a horrified scream. Shaking himself off stood got up.

"_Slick are you okay?" _He hissed

"_Yes Speaker I am fine, but be careful the ring is still very powerful." _Slick spoke as he slithered back up Benjamin's arm.

Shrugging the man put the ring on, taking a breath his nose was filled with the scent of flowers and black licorice, _Mother. _At that thought Benjamin's eyes shot opened and he unsheathed his blade and pointed it behind him, only to drop it a moment later as the figure behind him was a ghostly image of his mother. His head turned to see the stone glowing a ghastly green. The young man's mind went a mile a minute until he reached one conclusion. It was the Resurrection Stone and the Deathly Hallows were real.

"I see you figured it out little one. You always were quick" His mother's voice spoke. Her eyes grew sad, "Your soul is so scarred, and your magic-"

"I know _mother_" Benjamin spat out the word

The image took a step back, "I deserve that, at the time of my death I was to obsessed with trying to find out our family line. I cast the spell without proper precaution and I-"

"You died and left me alone. With only the goblins to raise me, and that was barely anything. I was angry, so angry. But thanks to my mentor I learned to curb that anger to use it in a productive way."

"To kill people."

"To kill _monsters _mother. Led by a madman who wishes to rule my home. I have no regrets for lives I have taken. No matter what it has gone to my magic or soul, and if the monster's return I will stop them."

His mother gave a small, "So noble of you. But during the first war you had no one. Now you are a teacher and a godfather. Also you have an elf and a snake. Not the sort of family I envisioned for you. But a family none the else. You will find there a difference between being a man with a death wish, and dying to protect someone you care about. Benjamin I am proud of you, no matter what path you choose. Just make it a long one okay. I don't want to see you again for a long time. Do you understand young man?" She said in a semi-serious tone.

That got a small chuckle out of the wizard, "Yes I understand mother." The ghost smiled as she vanished. Benjamin collapsed and started to lightly laugh. His laughter soon turned to gentle sobbing as he curled in a small ball. Something he had not done since the night of his mother's death.

Meanwhile deep in the Department of Mysteries one of the prophecy orbs grew a small crack and the color dulled.

**Thank you for reading, please check out my other stories and leave a review. Until next time thank you for the support. **


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter it is owned by JK Rowling**

**The Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher**

**Chapter 15**

**A Hero's Unknown Trials **

The rest of Christmas break Benjamin spent creating a box to hold the Resurrection Stone. It was a simple silver box imbued with the most powerful runes he could create. But still there were times when his eyes would wander and before he knew it he would be reaching out for the ring before a sharp bite from Slick would bring his back to his senses. The final day of break it dawned on him that ring needed to be locked away for good. That meant another trip to Gringotts.

The door to the Slytherin vault opened and Benjamin looked over his shoulder.

"I will need privacy." He said to goblin who nodded.

As the door sealed behind him Benjamin chose the target and with a wave of his hand the highest brick from the vault was summoned to his hand. With another wave the back of the brick disappeared and he placed the box containing the ring in the brick. With yet another wave the brick was back to normal. Next he took out a knife and carved a rune in the back of the brick. With a final wave the brick was returned to its original place, and Benjamin took a deep breath doing that much wandless magic took a lot out of him.

The next morning Benjamin was making the trek to the castle from Hogsmeade when Slick spoke from his arm.

"_Speaker why must you hide your relation to Salazar?"_

"_The less people that know the better, being descended from Salazar is a weapon and it is one I must use at the best possible tine. As for you I wander the grounds during the day. But come to my office during the night. Understand?" _

Benjamin swore Slick rolled its eyes as it responded.

"_Yes Speaker." _Slick said as is slithered down his arm and away.

Hours later Benjamin stretched as he finished another lesson plan for the start of the new semester. Deciding to take a walk he left the office. As he was wandering he felt something brush pasted him. Looking around he found nothing, but not too far away he heard the sound of a door opening. Following the sound he found the door and opened it to find Harry Potter gazing into the Mirror of Erised.

Benjamin gently closed the door.  
"It is a good evening for a stroll Mr. Potter."

The shocked child jumped to his feet and turned around with a fearful look.

"Professor, I'm sorry I know the Headmaster said not to come here again but I needed, I needed to-"Harry stammered

Benjamin gently placed a hand on his shoulder. "I understand Mr. Potter. This mirror is a powerful magical object. But you must remember though that what it shows is an illusion. You see your parents don't you?" Harry nodded. Benjamin sighed, "I see my mother, who like your patents were taken from this world to soon. Trust me Mr. Potter the greatest gift we give those that are gone is to keep living. They would want you to live a good full life, to be happy." He finished with a small smile. "Come let us get you to bed." As the two left the room he cast a powerful locking charm on the door.

As they reached the entrance to the common room Harry turned to his teacher.

"Professor, do you really think that is what parents would want?"

"Of course why do you ask Mr. Potter?"

"Because I don't haven't been happy in a while. The happiest I have ever been is when I got my letter to Hogwarts. But since I got here people treat me differently. I not just the Boy-Who-Lived you know?"

"No, no you are not Harry, and the people who truly care about you will see through the myth of the Boy-Who-Lived and see Harry Potter. And well to the hell with the rest of them right?" The man said with small as with a quick password Harry Potter was back in his dorm room.

"You are good with children." McGonagall spoke from behind him.

"I simply tell them the truth. It seems you took my words about Mr. Potter to heart he looks better. But from that short conversation I get the idea that his home life is far from ideal." He caught the ashamed look that crossed her face. "Something you already know."

"Albus said-"

"Enough!" Benjamin said the air became thick with magic for a moment until he took a breath and calmed down. "I have had enough of the blind faith that you people have in the man. Doesn't he have a saying "Do what is right not what is easy". As far as I am concerned too many people in this castle has done what is easy, and have forgotten what is right. Just give me the address and I will talk to them myself."

With a tried sigh that showed her age McGonagall told the younger man the addresse of the Dursley's.

_This is disgustingly picturesque _was the thought that entered the DADA's teachers mind as he stood in Privet Drive. Dressed in his blue blazer he walked up to number 4 and knocked a woman answered the door.

"Are you Mrs. Petunia Dursley?" He asked as the woman nodded. "I've come to talk about your nephew Harry." The door would have been slammed in his face if his hadn't put cane in front of it. "Now, now we wouldn't want the neighbors asking question now would we?" All he got in return was a glare. But the woman let him in the house. After a few minutes they were sitting in the kitchen.

"Talk quickly my husband will be home soon." Petunia said

Legilimency wasn't an art that Benjamin practiced often or was very good at but it was wickedly easy to read the thoughts of the woman in front of him. He saw the whole history of Harry Potter and he increased the grip on his cane to stop from cursing this woman and burning the house down.

"From now on you will treat Mr. Potter with at the least basic human decency. Do you understand me?" As he spoke the magic in the air grew thicker and stronger that it was suffocating for the muggle woman who simply nodded the fear radiating off her in waves. "Be warned I will be watching and if I find out that you have not listened I will come back, and trust me you do not want me to comeback." He rose from the chair and headed toward the door. "Just because he was forced on you does not give you the right to treat him the way you have, and when the time comes for you and your husband to meet your maker, " He grinned, " Well I suspect your sister will take great joy in taking her pound of flesh."

Leaving the house Benjamin took a few deep breaths let his anger dissipate, when out of the corner of his eye he saw an old woman hurry back into her house. The next moment he apparitioned into the woman's house, she had just began to make a Floo call. _So the Old Man did have an agent here after all. _With a wave of his cane the old woman was softly thrown into a chair.

"I'm afraid I can't have the Headmaster know I was here. Forgive me. Obliviate." Benjamin said as he took away the woman's memories from the last hour. He then looked around and covered his nose in disgust. "Winnie" He called as the elf appeared, "Could you please clean this place a bit if not for my sake then for the kneazles please." As with a nod the elf got to work.

As Winnie cleaned Benjamin felt a pair of claws enter his pant leg. He looked down to see a baby kneazle with black fur and white horizontal stripes pawing at him.

"Well hello little one. You're a fighter aren't you?" He said picking up the kitten as it rubbed itself against him.

The woman began to move, "Who are you?"

"Oh I'm here to buy a baby kneazle I tried to knock but it seems that you had fallen asleep. I was wondering if this fella was for sale." Benjamin said as the kitten was rubbing against him.

"Oh that's Fitz and let's say 5 galleon," The woman offered

"Fitz I like that name, here keep the change." Benjamin said as he left the home.

Arabella Figg nodded but her eyes widened as she saw that the strange man had given her 100 galleons. She hurried to the door only to find that the man was gone. Then she heard a pop from inside the house and went back inside and saw nothing, was her home cleaner? She didn't have time to give it much thought though as it was feeding time for her kneazle's.

**Thank you for reading, please check out my other stories and leave a review. Until next time thank you for the support. **


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter it is owned by JK Rowling**

**The Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher**

**Chapter 16**

**Sprung Trap**

The 2nd semester went smoothly for Benjamin until the last week of the school year. The final class had just finished there last exam of the year and he was about to head up to his office to grade them when Winnie popped into the room.

"Sir you told me to tell if anything strange was happening around the school? Well it is going around the kitchen that the Headmaster is leaving the castle this evening."

"Thanks Winnie how is Fitz doing?"

The elf scowled, "The furry menace is tearing apart all the rugs again."  
Benjamin chuckled, "Good thing rugs are cheap."

With a small smirk the elf popped away.

Later that evening as he was grading papers when there was frantic knocking at his door and when he opened it Harry, Hermione, and Neville rushed in.

"Professor we know that the 3rd floor corridor is protecting the Philosopher's Stone. We also know that Voldemort wants it and that with the Headmaster gone, this is the time for him to steal it. Or someone who works for him." Hermione said all this very quickly.

"I'll deal with this, you three stay here and if I'm not back in an hour get the Heads of House and tell them where I am." Benjamin said as he ran out of the room.

When the DADA teacher found the third floor corridor he noticed that the protections he had set had been destroyed. Opening the door he heard the loud sound of snoring and saw a slobbering Cerberus dead a sleep and a magic harp playing. Seeing a trap door the man walked toward it trying quite hard to be silent. Opening the door and climbing down he dropped down right into a pit of Devil's Snare. With a quick Lumos the plant dropped him. He landed with a soft thud and continued down the hallway when he approached a door and heard a buzzing from the other side. Raising his cane Benjamin opened the door to find that the buzzing was flying golden keys with wings on them along with a broom. Shaking his head he waved his cane and all the keys froze and fell to the ground. Looking at the lock he found the correct key and opened the next door, only to be assaulted with the horrible yet familiar smell of Troll. This one was already dead. Moving quickly the teacher left that room. When he entered the next room he found himself behind a giant chess set.

_I've never really been a fan of chess. _He thought as with two quick Reducto both kings white and black were destroyed. Quickly he made his way to the next room and found a riddle about potions.

_Oh Severus one of the few wizards with logic and yet you let a foolish obsession ruin your life. _He shook his head and quickly drank the correct potion and the blue flames let him past.

With a few steps he found himself in an ante chamber and not to faraway a man wearing an purple turban was muttering to himself as he gazed into the Mirror of Erised.

"You won't found the stone in there I'm afraid." Benjamin said causing the man to turn toward him. Recognition flashed in Benjamin's eyes, "Quirinus Quirrell, I thought you had an accident."

"_Quirrell let me speak to our guest" _A voice spoke from behind them

"Yes master" Quirrell said as he unwrapped his turban as from the back of his head a face appeared, a face that Benjamin had only ever heard about it.

"Lord Voldemort I presume? Quite a fall from grace, you have become a parasite. It also appears the rumors of dead unicorns are true. " The teacher said

"_What do you mean the stone is gone?" _The Dark Lord spat

"Well it was here, but I convinced the Headmaster to return it. This was a trap you fool and you fell for it."

The Dark Lord let out a yell of anger.

"_Kill Him. KILLHIM! Then return to the castle and slaughter all the students. I will have revenge for the Old Goat fooling me. " _The Dark Lord got no response from his host. But saw the blazing eyes of Benjamin as he pulled his blade from Quirrell's body

"Dark Lord or not you _don't _threaten my students." Benjamin said as he sheathed his blade.

He watched as dark fumes rose from Quirrell's body as with a roar the wraith of Voldemort attacked him.

The wraith of the Dark Lord awoke to find itself in a pitch black area.

"_It was foolish of you to enter this body parasite" _A voice from all sides spoke

"_Do you know to whom you speak I am Lord Voldemort." The wraith boasted._

It's try at intimidation was met with a harsh laugh.

"_Out there perhaps you are, but in here you are nothing more than a pest. One that I could kill at my whim. But you have made killing you, let's say inconvenient. So instead I will take what I wish and simply banish you from this body." As the voice spoke the wraith felt part of it's magic being siphoned before it was forcibly thrown out not just out of the body but Hogwarts as well._

_With a dark chuckle a pair of dark smoky blue eyes appeared from the darkness before receding._

With a sharp breath the DADA teacher awoke the chamber floor.

"Benjamin!" The high sharp tone of Professor Flitwick echoed of the chamber.

"Mentor?" The man asked groggily slowly getting to his feet.

"He's down here." The Charms Professor said as the other Heads of House appeared.

"Is that Quirinus Quirrell?" McGonagall asked

"He was possessed by the Dark Lord. If he got past me he was going to kill the students. I wasn't about to allow that." Benjamin said before his knees buckled.

"We have to get him to Poppy." Flitwick said

The last thing he saw before he blacked out was Snape staring at the body of Quirrell

**Thank you for reading, please check out my other stories and leave a review. Until next time thank you for the support. **____


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter it is owned by JK Rowling**

**The Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher**

**Chapter 17**

**Summer Reunion**

With a groan Benjamin awoke and found himself in the hospital wing.

"Glad to see you're awake." Flitwick said with a small smile.

"The kids got you huh? I'll have to give them each ten points for following instructions." He said with a chuckle.

"Well you could if the points mattered, the term officially ended yesterday."

"I've been asleep for 3 days?" Benjamin asked

"Yes and it could have been longer, you were nearly possessed, both your body and your magic need time to heal. But on the lighter side of things I have two letters for you." The Charms Professor handed him the letters. "The first is from the Hogwarts Board of Directors. The exam results came and across the board this year has had the highest DADA scores in nearly a decade. They are asking you to take the position full time and not a on a year to year basses. Do you accept it?"

Benjamin smiled, "Of course." He said as he signed the letter and handed it to Flitwick.

"Well then I leave the rest to you. Poppy said that you are cleared to go whenever you wish. See you at the start of next year." His mentor said as he left.

As Flitwick left Benjamin opened the second letter,

_Mr. Voss,_

_We at Gringotts wish to inform you that you inherited yet another vault due to the death of an Alexander Bright. You can come and claim the vault at your earliest convenience._

_Sincerely,_

_Gringotts Bank_

Benjamin let the letter drop from his hands, this Alexander Bright could only be one man. His father. He had never really given the man much thought, but yet apparently Alexander had thought of him, enough to leave him the vault.

It was a few days later that Benjamin found himself led to another vault. It was much smaller than either of the others he had. When he opened it he could see why. In the middle there was a small pile of galleons less than 100, but what caught his attention was off to side was a muggle photograph. It was his mother and a man that was almost a picture perfect copy of Benjamin expect his hair was lighter.

"Why was this vault given to me?" He asked the goblin

The goblin looked over some paper work, "It seems that you are the closet full blooded magical relative so the vault was given to you by default."

He ignored the pain that entered his chest at the goblins words. It seemed his father hadn't thought about him after all. He pushed it aside as he saw an old business card on the vault floor. It appeared to be for a pub in London. _It seems that I need to find who this vault really belongs too. _

That evening dressed in a simple blue shirt and jeans Benjamin entered The Sheep Ends Pub. It was a noisy and boisterous and already he found himself annoyed but he found a table and sat down. His eyes were drawn to a small child, a boy with brown hair was coloring and sipping a cup of chocolate milk. The boy's eyes shined as a middle age woman came over with dark brown hair and eyes carrying a tray. The woman smiled as the boy showed her his picture. At once a scene flashed of him do the same thing for his mother and Benjamin shook his head to get rid of the image. Probably due to some maternal instinct the woman turned toward Benjamin and as their eyes met she let out a shocked gasp and nearly the dropped the tray she was carrying. She finished delivering the drinks and food and the woman talked to a man at the bar who nodded and she made her way toward him.

As she sat down at him the woman gave a small smile, "You look just like him. I thought I saw a ghost."

"Benjamin Voss" He said extending his hand

The woman's smile widened, "That was my father's name, Anna Bright and that little lad over there is Alec. How did you find me?"

"Gringotts sent me a letter and I found your card in the vault."

"That makes since, look if you've come for answers or anything I don't have them. From what I know my brother and your mother met, and when she found herself pregnant he left. He was always a bit of a coward, but when my bastard of an ex did the same to me Alexander let me and Alec stay with him. He was a good man deep down." Anna said with a small smile.

"I don't care about the man's reasons, I came here to transfer the vault to you."

Her eyes widened, "But I'm a Squib I can't access a Pure Blood vault."

He smirked, "According to the goblins you can if you sign here." Benjamin said as he handed Anna the contract. The woman looked it over as out of the comer of his eye he saw Alec running toward them with another picture in hand. Before he could reach them the boy ran into a man's legs and fell over.

"Sorry" the boy said

"You brat you made me almost drop my pint." A clearly drunk man said ready to strike the boy when his hand was caught in a vice like grip.

The man turned to see a frowning Benjamin staring a hole through him.

"Walk it Off" He ordered as he nearly threw the man out of the pub.

"Wow you're strong." The boy said

Benjamin nodded, "Let's get you to your mom." he took the boys hand and led him to the table.

"Mom, I drew another picture. Oh and can I have another milk please?"

Anna gave a small smile, "No you have had three already and besides it's almost bed time."

The boy pouted. "I don't like bed time the bed hurts my back."

His mother frowned, "I know sweetie but it's better than the floor."

Benjamin frowned, "Where do you live?"  
"Oh it's a small apartment not too far from here, it's not much buts its home." Anna

"It's dirty and smelly and all the other people are mean. Plus there are rats." Alec said angrily

"Alec shush, its fine plus with the vault money it should help us cover the next few months." Anna said with a small smile.

Benjamin looked at the pair for a few moments, "If you wish you could move in with me."

"What? We couldn't impose." Anna started

"I live in a mansion that was meant for at least five people, which currently houses myself, a snake, a kneazle and a house elf. You won't be imposing at all, plus your family."

Anna looked at her son, "Fine I'm off for the night, we don't have much but it will take us a little while to get everything together. Meet us back here tomorrow afternoon. If you're interested Alexander is buried at old graveyard a few miles away from here. I know you didn't know him, but if you wish to visit-"She trailed off and Benjamin nodded and left the pub.

A few minutes later he found the graveyard and Alexander's headstone. His thoughts were something of a jumble. This man had been a coward and left his to mother to raise him by herself, and yet took care of a woman when she found herself in the same situation. Was he trying to atone for past sins? In the end Benjamin found that he didn't care, he didn't hate this man because he never knew him. But in the end this man had left him family, an Aunt and a cousin. To him that was enough. Taking the photo of his mother and father out of his pocket he cast anti weather, and tearing charms on it before he placed it at the foot of tombstone. He needed to head home and inform Winnie that she would need to set up two rooms for tomorrow.

**Thank you for reading, please leave a review and check out my other stories. Until next time thank you for the support. **


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter it is owned by JK Rowling**

**The Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher**

**Chapter 18**

**A Summer's End **

The next afternoon with a pop Benjamin, Anna, and Alec appeared in front of the Voss manor.

"Wow it's huge! Do we really live here now mom?!" Alec asked

Anna glanced at Benjamin who nodded, "Yes lad we live here now."

Smiling Alec made a bee line for the house but stopped as he saw Fitz waiting in front of the door, the once small kitten had grown to the size of a loaf of bread.

Alec's eyes widened, "Kitty!" He yelled as he went to pick up the cat.

"Hold on Fitz doesn't really like-"Benjamin was cut off as the cat let the child pick him up and purred as it rubbed itself against him as Alec laughed. The man simply shrugged as he opened the door and the three entered the house.

"Okay the two of you can unpack your rooms are on the next floor, and I'll cook dinner. Sound good?" Benjamin asked. Anna nodded as she took Alec's hand and the two headed upstairs.

An hour later the three were sat down eating a dinner of steak, potatoes, and carrots. Well Alec was petting Fitz under the table. When Winne popped next to them holding Slick.

"I found the snake on the edge of the grounds sure." The house elf said as the snake slid up Benjamin's arm.

"Hi" Alec said waving at the elf

"Hello Little Sir." Winnie replied

"Winnie grab a plate and sit with us." Benjamin said

"Sir I couldn't-"

"Winnie" Benjamin said his tone slightly stern, but still the elf remained standing until Slick used its tail to grab the House Elf by the wrist and gently sit her down. He smiled, "See even Slick wishes for you to stay." The rest of the meal was eaten in a comfortable silence.

With about a month left of the summer holiday Benjamin was awoken in the night by Winnie.

"Sir I was watching over the Potter boy, and I found another House Elf there. Before he was able to do something I stunned him and brought him here." The elf said

In the next couple of minutes Benjamin found himself and Winnie in his training room. With a dirty looking House Elf stunned.

"Release him Winnie." He ordered

At once the elf jumped up and at once tried to pop away only to found he couldn't it.

"I'm afraid you're stuck here friend until you answer my questions. Why were you at the Dursley home?"

"Harry Potter can't return to Hogwarts." The elf said

"Why?"

"Harry Potter can't return to Hogwarts there is a great evil coming."

"Is your master planning something?"

The elf remained silent.

"I see you can't say anything, because it goes against your oath. Your every brave to try-"

"Dobby" the elf said

"You are very brave Dobby, even trying to tell Mr. Potter this could have severed your bond. But trust me I will protect Mr. Potter and all the other students from whatever danger there is. It is my job after all." He said with a smile.

Dobby glanced at Winnie who nodded.

The male elf nodded, "Dobby leaves the job to you then. But Dobby warns you it is very dangerous." With a pop the elf was gone.

"Should you tell the Headmaster about this Sir?" Winnie asked

"On the word of a fearful House Elf, no. I will wait and see." Benjamin replied

"He was kind of cute though." Winnie said off handily as she left the room with Benjamin chuckling.

The next day the three found themselves in Diagonal Alley for Benjamin to get the newest DADA books for his classes. Alec's eyes widened at everything this being his first time in the Alley and it took quite a few tugs for him to remain at the adult's sides.

"Mom can we get ice cream?" Alec begged as he looked at his mother.

"Maybe after your cousin gets his books." Anna replied

As the three entered the book shop they were stopped by a crowd of mostly witches, as they spied a stage at the front of the shop.

"What's going on?" Anna asked

It was Augusta Longbottom that answered Neville at her side, "The newest hit author Gilderoy Lockhart is here to sign his newest book.

"Afternoon Lady Longbottom, Neville." Both of them nodded. "Celebrity or not I have books I need. Stay here" He told Anna and Alec as he tried to part the sea of witches

As he got closer to the stage Lockhart got onto the stage and began speaking, but it fell on deaf ears until he saw the author attempting to grab someone out of the crowd. He noticed Harry's unkempt hair at once and the nervous look on the boy's face as Gilderoy grabbed his shoulder. Quickly he grabbed the boy's other shoulder and Lockhart gave an annoyed look and the two men locked eyes for a moment until the author gave a sheepish look and let go the boys shoulder.

"Thanks for the save Professor." Harry said as they made there way out of the crowd.

"No problem Mr. Potter, who are you here with?" He asked

"Oh I've been staying with the Weasley family for the past month. The Headmaster come and got me." Harry said

"How have your relatives been treating you this summer?" He asked

"I don't know if "better" the word, but its fine I guess." Harry said

Benjamin nodded not happy with the answer but content for now. But his attention was brought to the front of the store as he heard very loud arguing.

The Heads of the Malfoy and Weasley families were about to come to blows when Benjamin's cane appeared between the two.

"Come now gentlemen there are children present. Settle this like gentlemen and shake hands." Benjamin said with a cheeky smile on his face.

Both men's fists simple clutched tighter as the door opened.

"Lucius, Draco come on we have other stops to make today." Narcissa Malfoy said as she entered the shop.

As her eyes met Benjamin's they softened for just a moment as a warm smile appeared on his face.

"Benjamin"

"Narcissa"

"Lucius, Draco let's go." She said as she gave one last look at Benjamin.

"Kids, Harry do you have all your supplies?" The voice of Molly Weasley cut through the silence. Answered with a chorus of Yes from the children the Weasley family and Harry left the shop as he waved goodbye to Neville and Benjamin.

A few minutes later Augusta and Neville followed suit, along with the rest and left the shop only to run into Hermione and her parents.

"Professor I'm glad I ran into you." Hermione said

"Why would that be Ms. Granger?" He asked

"That would be our que to enter the conversation" George Granger said as he and his wife Emma appeared at there daughter's side.

"We asked Hermione to bring a few books about the magical world home for us this summer, due to our talk last year. We came upon the term "magical guardian" and found out that our daughters is the Headmaster a man we had ever met. We were wondering if we could change guardianship to you?" George asked

Benjamin turned to Hermione, "What do you think of this Ms. Granger?"

"I think compared to some of the other Professor you truly care about your students and you seem to be a decent person at the very least and you tell us the truth. Sir." Hermione said

He turned back to her parents, "I will do it, but we will have to go to the bank. It could take some time though. Anna would you mind watching them?"

"No of course not. Ms. do you need anything else for school?" Anna asked

"Well my parents said I could get a pet this year-"Hermione started

"A pet store! Let's go!" Alec yelled running out from behind his mother and grabbing both female's hands trying to drag them toward the store.

"We'll be at the ice cream store." Anna said with a small smile as the three left.

An hour later the papers were signed and Benjamin was the legal guardian of Hermione Granger in the magical world. The three adults found themselves at Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour. Well Alec was barely keeping his eyes open, Hermione was eating ice cream with a cat carrier and bag at her feet.

"I got a kneazle and his name is Crookshanks and he is the most adorable little kitten in the world." Hermione gushed

"I bet he is Ms. Granger." Benjamin said as he shook both of her parent's hands as they left the alley.

He took a seat next to Anna. "He's tuckered out huh?" Benjamin said as she picked up Alec and carried him.

"Yeah he is it's been a long day for him. Also he got a book well in the pet shop, it talks about every magical creature."

"The boy seems to love his animals huh? I think it's time we head home."

With a quick nod Anna agreed and soon the three were back in Voss Manor were Anna put Alec to sleep on the couch and at once Fitz jumped up and laid down next to the boy who gave a happy smile in his sleep as he arms wrapped around the kneazle.

In the dining room Benjamin opened a bottle of whiskey and poured two glasses and slid one to Anna.

"So what is the history between you and that Malfoy woman?"

"How do you there's a history?"

His aunt let out a laugh, "You would have to blind not to you."

Benjamin let out a dry chuckle, "There was once _something_ but neither of us put a name to it, and even if we did, Malfoy gold is worth much more then what ever it was. There is also the small fact that I want to kill her sister for torturing my best friend and his wife into insanity. So either way I don't think it would have worked out." He said slamming his whisky.

"The world truly has dealt you a shitty hand huh? Yet you still keep going, and somehow succeeding. I saw the way those three kids looked at you. You have their respect."

Benjamin shrugged, "I simply told them the truth. That's all. By the way what will you and Alec be doing while I'm teaching?"

"Well I'll be working, as for Alec there is a grade school for children born from Squibs that teaches both muggle and magical lessons." Anna said

The two were interrupted by the sound of an owl delivering a letter. The letter was dropped in front of Benjamin and the owl flew away.

"Bloody Hell, I'm going to need another bottle." Benjamin said as he finished reading

"Why?"

"In the Headmaster's grand _wisdom _he gave me an assistant for my class this year to give the students real world experience, and its Gilderoy Lockhart."

Anna let out a loud belly laugh at her nephew's fortunate as he tried to resist slamming his head into the dining room table.

**Thank you for reading, please leave a review and check out my other stories. Until next time thank you for the support. **


	19. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter it is owned by JK Rowling**

**The Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher**

**Chapter 19**

**Lockhart and Office Hours**

Alec was glued to Benjamin's leg as the man tried to head to Hogwarts.

"But I don't want you to go." The boy whined

"I've got to go lad it's my job. I'll see you at Christmas okay?"

The boy thought for a moment, "I'm going to send you a picture every day." Alec promised as he let go of the man's leg.

Benjamin smiled as he ruffled the child's hair as the next moment he was gone.

A few hours later the DADA teacher was headed toward his "assistant's office" to discuss some lesson plans. As he entered the office he stared.

"What the bloody hell?" Benjamin whispered as seemly endless portraits of Gilderoy Lockhart turned and smiled at him, all with perfect gleaming teeth. It was only the man arriving that stopped him from burning the photos to cinders.

"My good man how can I help you? I know you want an autograph right. Well I'll have one in a jiffy." The author said getting a pen and a photo out.

"No Gilderoy I'm here to talk about the lesson plans."

"What is wrong with my lessons?"

Benjamin took a deep breath, "You want to start the classes off with a quiz about yourself. That will not do. You're here to teach these students about how to fight and survive against magical creatures not get an ego boost. Also about the Pixies either move the lesson to above third year or cancel the order for them. Understood?"

The DADA teacher could hear the man's teeth grinding against each other as he tried to keep calm.

"It appears I have some changes to make then. I get the revised plans to you soon"

Benjamin nodded, "Thank you and see you at the feast."

As he left the office he could feel the glares of Lockhart and the portraits at back, when he got to a blind spot he felt a shiver go down his spine. He was going to have nightmares for sure.

Benjamin head barley made it back to his office when there was a knock at the door.

"Enter" He said as Draco appeared in the door way.

"Hello Mr. Malfoy how can I help you?"

"I wish to discuss my mother." The boy said

"Ah I figured this would happen, sit down. What do you wish to know?"

"Did you court my mother Sir?"

Benjamin gave a small smile and a chuckle, "Straight to it then huh? Through our 4th-5th years we hung out a quite a bit, but neither of us put a name to it, and then six year came around as did your father with his marriage contract and while the rest is history. So no your mother and I never officially dated, but I do consider her a friend."

"Then why was that the first time you had seen her in nearly two decades?"

"Well there are a few reasons but it mostly boils down to your father."

"You mean my father's view on Mud-" Benjamin gave the boy a sharp stare "His view on Muggle Borns."

"Correct. If I did see your mother your father and I would get into an argument and I am sure spells would be thrown, and neither you nor your mother deserves that. Does that answer all questions you have?"

"It has answered quite a few Sir." Draco said as he left the office.

"Mr. Malfoy please remember no matter how difficult it may seem a child does not need to follow in there parents footsteps. Also my door is always open." Benjamin said with a smile as the boy walked out.

A few minutes a frantic knocking was heard. "Enter Ms. Granger"

"How did you know it was me Sir?" Hermione asked as she entered the office.

"Only you would knock like that Ms. Granger, now how can I help you?"

Hermione blushed, "Well since you are now my magical guardian. I was wondering if I could get your advice on what electives I should take during third year?"

Benjamin chuckled, "Ms. Granger you do realize second year hasn't officially started yet correct?"

"I know I just want to get your advice."

"Well Ms. Granger all that really matters is what you want to do after you leave school."

"I don't know Sir."

"Well then may I suggest keeping your options open? I will tell you the three classes I took were Ancient Runes, Care of Magical Creatures, and Arithmancy Does that help?"  
"Yes Sir it does." The girl said as her gaze fell to the clock that was in office. "Oh no I'm almost late for welcoming feast."

"Let me escort Ms. Granger, oh and welcome back to Hogwarts." He said as the two headed toward the Great Hall.

**Thank you for reading, please leave a review and check out my other stories. Until next time thank you for the support. **


	20. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter it is owned by JK Rowling**

**The Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher**

**Chapter 20**

**AN: I would like to thank all of you for getting this story to over a 100 followers, and post a warning about a swear word or two in this chapter. Enjoy. **

**The Wayward Ravenclaw **

The first month and a half of the new school year flew by for most of the castle but for Benjamin time had pasted at a snail's pace. It was due to that fool Lockhart, the man was incapable of finishing a single lesson it seemed. Every day from first to seventh year a student would have to come and get him to resolve some issue. One day it was the damn Pixie's another it was Devil's Snare. Currently Benjamin had his head on his desk rubbing his temples. He looked at the clock and saw that he had missed dinner. He wasn't hungry anyway, maybe a walk on grounds would help.

As the teacher neared the Astrometry tower he heard a soft humming and saw a first year girl with long blonde hair, and radish earrings, dressed in very thin pajamas. His first thought was that the girl must be cold on this chilly October night.

The girl turned to him with a dreamy smile, "Hello Professor."

"Good Evening Ms.-"  
"My name is Luna Lovegood"

"Good Evening Ms. Lovegood. What are you doing out here this late?"

"I tried to enter my Common Room but something seems wrong with the Raven, it seems to happen every evening." The girl said all this with a care-free attitude.

Benjamin's eyes narrowed quickly connecting the dots, "While then Ms. Lovegood if you escort me to the Raven I may be able to help. But first," He took of his cloak and placed it around the girl. "You seemed cold."

"Thank you Professor, the Common Room is this way," Luna said as she skipped away.

As the two walked Benjamin noticed that Luna's eyes were moving all over the place as if she was searching for something.

"What are you looking for Ms. Lovegood?"  
"Nargles Sir."

"What exactly does a Nargle look like?"  
"No one knows Sir but that is why I will be the first to find them."

Benjamin gave a small smile, "Well then I wish you the best of luck Ms. Lovegood."  
Suddenly the girl stopped skipping, "You believe me Sir?"

"Ms. Lovegood magic is a wondrous thing, but it is foolish and ignorant to believe that we know everything about it. So yes I believe that such things as Nargles exist."

The girls smile widened as she once again began skipping, and soon the two stood in front of the Raven.

"If rainbows are blue what color is the ground?" The statue spoke its riddle

Benjamin raised an eyebrow as it was obvious that someone had confounded the statue. With a wave of his cane he broke the curse and the Raven nodded in gratitude and opened.

"Merlin Loony take a hint we don't want you here." An older Claw said as he headed toward the door only to stop to see Benjamin standing there.

"Is there a problem?" He asked. The older Claw shook his head.

"Thank you for the escort Professor, oh and don't forget your cloak." Luna said entering the Common Room.

Casting a listening charm on the cloak Benjamin said with a small smile, "It is fine Ms. Lovegood keep it. The rest of you have a good evening, oh and Ms. Lovegood my door is always open."

As he left the room he quickly took out a quill that he connected to the listening charm and heard the verbal abuse that the other Claws were laying on Ms. Lovegood. Moving quickly Benjamin found himself at Flitwick's door and knocked loudly.  
"Benjamin what are can I do for you at this later hour?" His Mentor asked

"I just had the pleasure of meeting a first year Claw named Luna Lovegood. I found her locked out of the Common Room, by the other members of her house. I gave her a cloak and attached a listening charm to it, and while listen," The DADA teacher said

In just a few minutes Flitwick's eyes had narrowed.

"Get your house in order Mentor or I will."

"I'll have a house meeting tomorrow evening. I won't have this type of behavior be allowed." The Charms Professor promised.

Benjamin nodded and left the office

A few days later at breakfast Benjamin noticed that all the other Claws were sitting far away from Ms. Lovegood. He glanced at Flitwick who simply shrugged. It seemed that the Claws would need another talking too. At the end of his seventh year class the DADA professor asked for all the Ravenclaws to stay back.

"I assume you know why I held you three back." He said

"Yes we know _Sir_" One Claw spoke with an air of defiance

"So Flitwick talked to you then."

"Yes he said anyone caught bullying Loony, sorry Luna would have points taken and detentions until break." Another spoke.

"That's bullshit the freak shouldn't be in Ravenclaw in the first place. Our house is a place of logic not stupid fantasy creatures." The third spoke.

"Speak like that about Ms. Lovegood in my presence again and you will regret it _boy_." Benjamin said releasing just a hint of his magical aura causing the seventh years to shake,

"Please what will you do, flunk us?" One laughed.

"No, I am not petty. I will simply challenge you to a duel in her honor and we will see what after school careers you can have when I'm through with you. In short consider me Ms. Lovegood's wand arm. Please make sure the message get not to just your house but to too all the houses. You three are dismissed." Benjamin said as the three left the room as quickly as possible.

Later that evening as Benjamin was in his office when a House Elf appeared.

"The Headmaster wishes to speak with you." Then popped away

With a quick sigh Benjamin left his office and soon found himself in the office of the Headmaster only to see that the Old Goat wasn't there.

"The Headmaster will return shortly." The Sorting Hat spoke from a top the shelf it was placed on.

"Hat" Benjamin said curtly

The Hat smirked, "Still bitter about your placement into the house of snakes I see."

"I wished to be placed in Hufflepuff."

"I stand by my words that with the badgers you would have been _alone_ in the crowd, with the snakes you were _one_ of the crowd. Tell me that anonymity never worked in your favor." Benjamin remained silent. "I rest my case." Fawkes let out a till "Even the bloody bird agrees with me."

The conversation was cut short as Albus appeared and sat down.

"Mr. Voss please tell me you didn't threatened three of your students."

"I threated no one Headmaster; I may have suggested a few things but never out right threatened anyone. Not that it would matter if I did, since all three of those Claws were of age and capable of making their own decisions in the eyes of the Ministry of Magic." Benjamin said

"Is it true that all this came about because of the treatment of a single first year student?"  
"Yes it is, and she is bullied for the simple fact that her beliefs differ from the typical Claw, if we truly want to put an end to the possibility of another Blood War then it starts here at the school, and it starts with students and staff being able to accept different beliefs whether that be about blood, religion, or simple food preference. Do you not agree with me Headmaster?"

Dumbledore stared at the man for a few moments, "You have a talent my boy for speaking the truth, that is something that we could use on the Wizengamot."

"Perhaps later in life, for now I am happy where I am Sir."

The Headmaster nodded, "Before I forget how is Mr. Lockhart working out?"

Benjamin's face turned into a frown, " There is not enough time in the day for me to answer that question."

"While I suggest reading a few of his novels, they are very eye opening." The Old wizard with a twinkle in his eyes.

Benjamin raised an eyebrow but nodded, "I may just do that. Have a good evening Headmaster." As with that Benjamin left the room.

**Thank you for reading, please leave a review and check out my other stories. Until next time thank you for the support. **


	21. Chapter 21

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter it is owned by JK Rowling**

**The Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher**

**Chapter 21**

**A Long Overdue Conversation with a Lost Love**

It was during his lunch break a few days later that found Benjamin in his office reading yet another book written by Lockhart. In the half a dozen books he had read two things were made clear, the first was the man clearly needed a better editor, and two these books belonged in the fantasy section of any book store. But still something about the books seemed familiar. He would have to check the library. A knock was heard at his door.

"Enter"

Narcissa Malfoy entered with a small smile.

The DADA teacher quickly schooled his surprise but Narcissa's smile turned smirk showed that she had indeed see it. Already the game between the two had begun just like in there school days.  
"Mrs. Malfoy what I can do for you this afternoon?"

"Can't I see an old friend?"

Benjamin gave a small smile, "Others could but not you. Why are you Narcissa?"

"I am here because young Draco's sent me a letter about how he talked to you about our relationship. I simply wish to know what you told him."

"The truth nothing more nothing else. How we were friends during our 4th and 5th years."

"We were a little more than friends Benj" She said using the pet name she had once had for him

"I did not feel the need to traumatize your son Cissy." Benjamin replied with a small smile.

She returned the smile, "You know surprisingly I don't find it strange that you are teacher. You always had a way with children."

Her mind returned to seeing him during 4th year and beyond helping the first years navigate the castle, help with their work, and be a comforting shoulder when a foolish student would curse or hex them for simply being a snake. The fact that those that did were quickly dealt in a similar manner, well it was always dangerous to walk into a snake's path.

Benjamin chuckled, "Here I thought no one noticed, but then you always could read me better than anyone else."

Narcissa's eyes wandered around the room and she noticed children's drawing.

"Those drawing and I woman and child I saw you with in the alley does that mean your marr-"

"No there from my little cousin, the son of my Aunt."

"But your mother was an only child-"

"There the only surviving family on my father's side and they are Squibs by the way. Also I have left them half of estate if I die."

"It's illegal for Squibs to inherit anything from wizards."

An almost feral smile came over Benjamin's face and it was then she remembers how he was basically raised by goblins.

"You would be surprised what you can get away with in the fine print. Now please my break is almost over ask the question."  
"What question? Can't we simply catch up like old friends?"

Benjamin bowed his head and sighed, "We can only dance around it for so long."

The woman nodded, "Why didn't you try to fight when marriage the contract was introduced?"

"There is it, I could give you a list of excuses, but the truth is I was afraid. Here you were a Black with a linage that dates back to the time of the founders, and who was I? I was a no name orphan raised by creatures that your family considered second class citizens. What could I offer you? Malfoy, well he was Malfoy. What would you have me do Cissy?"

"We could have runaway."

Benjamin let out a harsh laugh, "Really Cissy you would go the way of your sister? No, you wouldn't and I wouldn't ask you too. But you know that. It simply wasn't meant to be. In the end though that doesn't matter because it gave you Draco, and I see the way you look at your son, and I can only hope that is the way my mother looked at me with such pride and love in her eyes."

Narcissa smiled, in her marriage with Lucius Draco's birth truly was a glowing beacon of happiness. But she was lying to herself if there weren't times instead of Lucius's sharp features she pictured her son with Benjamin's own gentle features, or Lucius's Pureblood speeches, to their son that there he treated as gospel, replaced with Benjamin's more how could she say "unique" view of their world. But like most times, even she hated to admit it, Benjamin was right. She was nowhere ready to betray her family as her cousin Sirus had done, but still she couldn't help but wonder what would have happened if she had. Although it was a little funny that the man who could charge into an army of Death eaters (Oh yes she knew of her Old Flame's actions during the War) was still afraid of affairs of the heart.

"One last question Benj. Do you hate Draco?"

Benjamin gently place his hand on top of hers, "I do think the boy has a little too much of his father in him for his own good. But No Cissy no I don't hate him. I could never hate something or someone you truly loved." He said with a smile as he gently caressed Narcissa's hand for a few moments until she stood up. "Cissy go see your son before you leave. You may embarrass him now but trust me in a few years he'll look back fondly on it."

With a final smile to each other Narcissa walked out of his office and once again out of his life.

With a wave of his hand a ratty looking trunk appeared, one that he used during his school days. With another wave a ring was brought out of the very bottom of the trunk. Gently he grasped the ring. Overall it was quite simple, a sliver band but there were three holes atop it. The first was filled with a small emerald and the other two were empty. He had brought it during the summer of his fifth year, the clerk had that the first spot was for a promise stone, the second for an engagement stone, and the third and final spot was for a marriage stone.

The teacher remembered the joy and happiness that he had when he brought it. He had waited the entire year until the last week of school to propose. But the day he planned to he entered the common room and spotted Narcissa hand in hand with Malfoy who was boasting about their arranged marriage. His eyes had met Narcissa's and at that moment he couldn't breathe. He ran out of the castle and when he reached the edge of the forest transformed into his animagus form. Hours later he found himself face down in the Forbidden Forest clutching the ring. Right there and then he thought of throwing it into the forest, but he couldn't instead he simply laid there and stared at the thing. Images of him and Narcissa together flashed through is mind, from their first meeting to their first kiss, and finally the whispered I love's that they had spoken not even six months ago in the dorm room.

Benjamin shook his head and threw the ring back in the trunk, before remembering he wanted to head to the library. Yeah research and alcohol sounded like a good way to end this day.

**Thank you for reading, please leave a review and check out my other stories. Until next time thank you for the support. **


	22. Chapter 22

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter it is owned by JK Rowling**

**The Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher**

**Chapter 22**

**A Comforting Treat and a Dangerous Trick **

Halloween had come once again to Hogwarts, and as Benjamin made his way to the Great Hall he saw Harry Potter headed out of the doors.

"Is anything alright Mr. Potter?"

"Oh, yeah Professor is just I don't feel very hungry." Harry said looking down.

Benjamin nodded, "For most this day is one of celebration, but for you it is far from that. The man nodded his head and made a decision. "Come with me Mr. Potter and lets see if we can change your outlook of this holiday."

A few minutes the two had apparitied and where on the outskirts of a small little town. Harry quickly ran to some nearby bushes to throw up.

"Sorry Professor." The boy said

Benjamin chuckled, "There is no need to be sorry Mr. Potter, that is what happens to most people during there first time side along apparition. To answer your unasked question we are at Godric's Hallow. It is a small magical/muggle hybrid village, but for you Mr. Potter it is where your parents died, and most importantly where they are buried. I thought visiting their graves could help you. But first thing first Mr. Potter have you ever gone trick or treating?"

Harry thought back to all the years his relatives would buy his cousin the best costume and he would come home with bags full of candy. The boy shook his head.

Benjamin gave a small smile, "Well we can't have that now can we? The only question is Mr. Potter what do you wish to be?" The boy's eyes turned to his cane, "Someone who fights with a sword. Will a knight work?" The boy nodded, and with a wave of his cane Harry was dressed like a typical knight. "Oh and we can't forget the bag now can we?" With another wave a plastic bag appeared in the boys hands.

The boy looked at him in wonder.

"Well Mr. Potter have at it." Benjamin said as the boy walked up to the first house along with a group of kids all dressed in costumes.

It was an hour later and Harry was dragging his bag behind him, completely full of candy with a large smile on his face. But as they pasted the statue of his parents Harry stared in wonder as Benjamin shook his head.

"What's wrong Professor?" Harry asked

"Mr. Potter I believe that your parents were heroes. But with this statue it figuratively and literally puts them on a pedestal, and that makes it seem that to be a hero you must in some way be better than others. That is not true, all that one needs to do to be a hero is to simply do the right things for the right reasons. But enough of an old man's thoughts we are almost to the cemetery." The DADA teacher said leading the boy.

It was with a creak that the cemetery door opened, and after some quick investigating the two found the graves of James and Lily Potter. With a few waves of his cane the graves were cleaned and a few bushes of flowers were placed.

"I will be by the entrance Mr. Potter." Benjamin said leaving the boy alone.

About 20mins later Harry came walking back wiping tears from his eyes.

"Are you alright Mr. Potter?" The boy nodded. "Well then lets us head back." Harry grabbed the man's arm and a moment later then were in Hogsmeade.  
"Let me escort you to your dorm room Mr. Potter." Benjamin said

"Sir, thank you for tonight." Harry said shyly

"Think nothing of it Mr. Potter."

As the two were making their way to the tower is when Benjamin started to hear the voice.

_Kill, Murder, Faster, Kill, and Murder._

The man held his head, and as he glanced down he saw Harry doing the same thing.

"Mr. Potter did you hear that?" The boy nodded. "We will talk about this later, but for now head back to your dorm." He ordered as he attempted to follow the voice.

Following the voice brought him to a group of students crowded around something.

"Which one of you did this?!" Finch yelled

"Calm down." He told the Squib as he glanced down and saw the man's cat unmoving. "She's isn't dead. Simply petrified "He turned to the wall and saw the message.

_"The Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Enemies of the heir... beware"._

He turned to the crowd, "All of you return to your dorm's and inform your Heads of House to come here at once." Benjamin said as the group of students scattered.

An hour later the Head's of House along with Lockhart, and Benjamin stood in the Headmaster's office.

"We are sure this isn't a prank?" The Headmaster asked

"I know students hate the cat, but yes I'm sure that it's not a prank. Does anyone have any idea where the Chamber of Secretes might be?"

All of them shook their heads.

"Do your or Severus know anything have been in Slytherin House?" McGonagall asked

Benjamin glanced at Snape who shook his head.

"No, and it would be foolish to assume it is a Slytherin. If it truly is Slytherin's heir who is doing this they would know the best place for a snake is not in the snake pit." Benjamin said

"Should we call the DMLE?" Sprout asked

"No not on a hunch, but we can't simply let an unknown danger run around the school either. Here is what I propose, Lockhart takes over my classes and until the Christmas holidays I'll try to find and kill this danger. If I fail call in the DMLE and make arrangements for the students to finish of their studies." Benjamin said

The Headmaster gave it some thought, "That seems like a fine solution, Minerva please return early tomorrow morning, we will need to discuss appropriate measures should we have to send the students away. Mr. Voss please stay for a moment." The Headmaster said

"I have a threat to search for Headmaster."

"That is why I will waste as little of your time as possible. Where did you go with Harry Potter this evening?"  
"To Godric's Hallow, every child should be able to say goodbye to their parent's." Benjamin said

"A fine sediment but next time please tell someone, having such a high profile student and Professor suddenly gone is not a good thing." The Old Wizard said with a small smile

"I will admit that tonight was a split second decision, but I doubt there will be a next time. Goodnight Headmaster." Benjamin leaving the office only to run into Lockhart.

"I gladly offer my assistance to you, I have made a career out of hunting down monsters."

"Like that Werewolf in Africa."

The smile on Lockhart's face grew even brighter if that were possible, "Been reading my books I see."

"Yes I have, I do have a question though-"

"Well please ask away old chap."

"How is it possible that you can be in Belfast taking down a Pixy horde, and China taking down a Werewolf at the same time?"

Lockhart stopped in his tracks. "You must have misread-"

Benjamin stood so that both men were nose to nose, "I didn't misread anything. You are nothing more than a liar and cheat Lockhart. I know it, you know, and the Headmaster knows it. In fact I think hiring you was a just a round a bout way to get your fraud discovered. As a teacher you are barely passable. But for now that is all I need. Until break abide by lesson plans or I will expose you to the whole world. Do we have an understanding?"

Lockhart nodded but as Benjamin began to walk away he raised his wand.

"I wouldn't do that, if there truly is a beast wandering the castle I am the only one that can find it, and all that gold and public image doesn't matter if you're dead." The DADA teacher as he simply walked back to his office, as Lockhart lowered his wand.

When he reached his office he locked his door and pulled out Salazar's journals, if there was any information about the chamber it be would there. He asked Winnie to bring him a pot of coffee and began to decode the journal, it was going to be a long night.

**Thank you for reading, please leave a review and check out my other stories. Until next time thank you for the support. **


	23. I Need a Beta Reader

**I Need a Beta Reader**

**Hey guys first off sorry this is not a chapter. Secondly it seems that a majority of you like the story, but we can all agree that my proof reading skills need work. Because of this I have decided that for this story I want to get a beta reader. I have tried to get a beta reader from the site, but I haven't got a response back. So I thought I would see if you the readers could help me. If any of you are interested or know some that is interested in being a beta reader for this story please PM me and we can continue from there. Either way beta reader or no beta reader expect the next chapter of this story up sometime next week. As always thanks for the support. **


	24. Chapter 23

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter it is owned by JK Rowling**

**The Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher**

**AN: I'm still looking for a Beta Reader for this story. If you're interested please PM me and we can do from there. Enjoy the chapter. **

**Chapter 23**

**Entering the Chamber**

A swift knock on his door awoke Benjamin. He had fallen asleep at his desk again. It was a week before Christmas break and he gotten no closer to figuring what was stalking the castle. If it wasn't for Winnie bringing him food the poor man would have surly starved. The only thing he had done was decode a passage from his ancestor's journals, and it was a cryptic passage at that.

_To protect the school we need much more than knights, if all else fails we need an option that will save world from discovery and_ _destruction at the hands of muggles. Alas my fellow founders would consider this to extreme a measure, but our world and or students must be protected at all costs. I will create this defense in my hidden chamber; I hope though that it will never see use._

In fact the only good thing about the situation was that there hadn't been another attack.

More knocking broke the teacher from his thoughts. Quickly he headed to the door to see a smiling Luna Lovegood.

"Ms. Lovegood what can I do for you?"  
From behind her back the girl handed him a water logged dairy. "I was walking near the 2nd floor girls bathroom and heard Myrtle complaining about how something was plugging up her toilet. I went in and retrieved the journal, and the nargles told me to give it to you."

"Well thank you Ms. Lovegood."

"Oh and Professor may I suggest a shower?" Luna said with a smile as she left

Taking a sniff of himself the teacher agreed he needed to bath. After a shower and a change of clothes Benjamin returned to his quarters and investigated the journal in front of him. He casted any charms he could think of, but they all came back negative for traps or curses. The only thing special about the journal was that the words T.M Riddle was written on the spine of the journal, also the pages were blank.

Against his better judgment the teacher picked up a quill and wrote in the journal.

"_Who is the owner of this journal?" _

The ink disappeared and then reappeared

_I Tom Riddle own this journal._

Tom Riddle that named sounded familiar.

_The same Tom Riddle who won an award for "special services" to the school?_

_The very same. _Benjamin could hear the smugness in that remark, but before he could write a response more words appeared.

_Allow me to show you how I won my reward._

Suddenly the journal pulsed with magic and Benjamin felt himself being sucked in.

The next moment he found himself in the dungeons of the school, expect everything was tinted blue. This was a memory and he saw the figure of a sixteen year old Slytherin boy moving quickly. That had to be Tom Riddle.

The DADA teacher followed him until the boy reached a door and pulled out his wand. Kicking the door open Tom pointed his wand at the young Hagrid who was holding something close to his chest.

"_Hagrid give the beast to me."_

"_He didn't do anything." _

"_It killed Myrtle Warren Hagrid. It needs to be destroyed."_

_The creature that the half giant was holding struggled out his grasp and dropped to the floor. It appeared to be a spider the size of a small dog. Riddle started casting spells, but they kept missing the spider. _

"_Run Aragog." The half giant said as the spider was soon out of sight. _

_Tom pointed his wand at Hagrid as soon two Professors rushed into the room. _

The next moment Benjamin was back in his office and felt oddly drained. Shaking it off he grabbed a robe and headed towards Hagrid's hut. As he neared the Keeper of the Key's home he noticed the man was burying something.

"Benji." The man greeted with a jovial smile

"Hagrid good to see again, but I've come on official business. I need to talk you about Aragog. Whatever happened to him?" The half-giant eyes shot toward the forest. Benjamin sighed, "Hagrid your spider is an Acromantula, and they feed on human flesh."

"Aragog didn't hurt anybody, and he got himself a mate and he and his children haven't hurt anyone."

"Hagrid what happens when he dies? Then we have a forest full of unchecked Acromantula. At least tell the Headmaster so we can have a plan of action if they come near the school. We don't want any students getting hurt." The man nodded and promised to tell the Headmaster. "Hagrid what are you burying?"

"Oh some wild animal got at all the rosters."

With a quick nod Benjamin headed back toward the school and toward the 2nd floor girls bathroom as felt Slick slither onto his arm. Finding the bathroom deserted he knocked on the door.

"Ms. Warren I need to speak to you." The teacher said

With a splash of water the ghost known as Moaning Myrtle flew out of her toilet.

"What can I do for you professor?" The ghost asked

He pulled out the journal from his pocket. "A student gave this to me today, and when I read it I was told you died. If it's not to traumatic could you tell me how?"

The ghost stared at him for a moment, ""_Ooooh, it was dreadful, it happened right in here. I'd hidden because Olive Hornby was teasing me about my glasses. The door was locked, and I was crying, and then I heard somebody come in. They said something funny, a different language, I think it must've been. Anyway, what really got me was that it was a boy speaking. So I unlocked the door to tell him to go and use his own toilet, and then... I died." _ (Taken from Harry Potter and the Chamber and Secrets) "The last thing I remember is a pair of large yellow eyes." The girl finished.

Benjamin was putting together the pieces of the puzzle that he had been given and his eyes widened as only one option became possible. "It's a Merlin damn Basilisk." He whispered and if Salazar journals were to be believed then the snake was well over a thousand years old. The DADA teacher visibly gulped at the thought of facing such a beast. His eyes turned to the sink in the middle of the room, he walked over and examined it and soon found a pair of snakes etched into it.

"_Open" _Benjamin hissed. After quite an elaborate sequence the sink opened to reveal a drop into darkness. "_Stairs?" _The teacher asked for. At once stone steps emerged from the stone leading all the way down. Taking a deep breath he started walking down the stairs as the entrance closed behind him.

**Thank you for reading, please leave a review and check out my other stories. Until next time thank you for the support. **

_**,**_


	25. Chapter 24

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter it is owned by JK Rowling**

**The Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher**

**AN: I'm still looking for a Beta Reader for this story. If you're interested please PM me and we can go from there. Enjoy the chapter.**

**Chapter 24**

**The Once and Future Dark Lord**

Slowly Benjamin made his way deeper and deeper into the chamber until the stairs led him to a stone floor. Walking down a long narrow corridor the DADA professor stopped at a sliver door barred by equally sliver snakes.

"_Open" _He hissed at the door.

At once the door opened and Benjamin entered a room the size of the Great Hall, expect the majesty of the hall was replaced with a dull gray room, half destroyed marble columns, and at the very end was a statue of Salazar Slytherin that was tall of the ceiling. The mouth was wide enough and it appeared to open.

"_Speaker the journal." _Slick warned

But it was too late as with a burst of magic Benjamin was knocked to the floor. As a few feet away the journal began to shake and out of it a person began to appear. In a few moments Tom Riddle stood in front of the teacher. The professor went for his cane but Riddle summoned it to his hands and cast a Body Bind on the man.

Riddle stalked closer to Benjamin, "I must say having my journal fall into your hands was a stroke of good fortune. All it took for me to gain the magic to fully emerge was one entry from you. If I was still in the hands of that Weasley girl it would be months before I could act."

"Tom Riddle?"

The young man gave a sick smile, "Also you are powerful enough to fight your way through my Body Bind curse. Yes when I finish absorbing your soul I will have enough power to bring this world to its knees, and wipe out the muggles and half breeds."

Out of the corner of his eye Benjamin saw Slick slithering toward the journal.

"Well you may have some competition for that; there is a fool who calls himself Voldemort who wants to do the same thing."

At the mention of Voldemort Riddle's smiled grew.

"So despite the so called "victory" by Harry Potter I did survive."

Benjamin simply raised an eyebrow.

Riddle shook his head as with a wave of the cane his named appeared in the air and after they were rearranged they formed the sentence _I am Lord Voldemort._

Whatever Riddle expected it wasn't for his captive to laugh.

"That is how you chose your name, by a childhood anagram, how many times did you have to do that to get a decent name 5, 10, 20 times?!" Benjamin kept laughing.

"ENOUGH!" Riddle bellowed as with a wave Benjamin's body became stiff. "This is a name that wizards still fear to utter, even though they believe me dead. Voldemort is my past, present, and future."  
Benjamin chuckled, "Do you know what the future holds for you? You lose by the hand of a toddler, and afterward you become nothing more than a parasite. YOU FAIL!"

Riddle walked so that he was a few feet from the professor. "But now in part thanks to you I have a chance to rewrite history."

The speech was cut short as his body began to shine; both of them looked to see Slick had bit down on the journal. Riddle was distracted so Benjamin took the opportunity, broke the curse, unsheathed the blade from his cane and plunged it into Riddles chest. The last look that Riddle had was one of pure shock as he exploded in a burst of magic.

Benjamin took a few breaths and turned his gaze to the statue of Salazar.

"_The Basilisk is in there."_ Slick answered the unasked question

"_Be ready for anything. Open." _ The DADA teacher said

The statue's mouth slid open and a pair of large yellow eyes appeared and out of the darkness and snake uncoiled itself and circled around the snake and man. It truly was monstrous in length as it was easily half the length of the whole room, but Benjamin simply watched the beast's head until it rested mere inches from his face. It flicked it tongue and touched his cheek.

"_Father?" The Basilisk spoke in a deep bellowing voice "No father is long dead, but your reminds me of his. You are closer than the other heir was."_

"_We did you attack the school you were put in charge to protect?" Benjamin asked_

"_The false heir forced me with dark spells and curses. But the destruction of the book has freed my mind. For the first time in nearly half a century I am myself yet again."_

"_Why did Salazar breed you?"_

"_I was to be the final weapon of the school. If the school fell I was to be released in order to kill the intruders and protect the rest of the students, or if all the students were dead to kill the rest of the intruders to protect the secretly of the wizarding world."_

"_What would you have done afterward?"_

"_I do not know neither situation has come to pass."_

"_I can't leave you here, the false heir still lives and if he ever regains a body he could control you once again. But killing you would be a waste."_

"_May I suggest heir that I transfer my soul to you?" _

"_What? How?" Benjamin asked_

"_The process is simple, yet painful and time consuming. I bite you and transfer my soul and magic into your body and when the process is complete I will become a tattoo on your body. You will be able to summon me at your whim but I warn you it will take most of your magic to do so,"_

Benjamin gave it a moment of thought and then turned to Slick, _"Watch the entrance"_ The smaller snake nodded as it went off.

Benjamin shrugged off his robe, _"Before we do this is there anything left that Riddle didn't take from here?"_

The Basilisk nodded and it's tail went back inside the statue and came out with a wand. It was thirteen inches and colored pitch black with a pair of sliver snakes on the handle, the snake handed it to Benjamin. When the wand touched his hand a blindly light emerged from the tip.

"_When the false heir touched it the wand did nothing. This further proves you are truly father's rightful heir."_

Benjamin nodded, _"Bite me high up on the neck where it will be least visible." _

The King of Snakes nodded as it sank its teeth into the man's neck. The last thing Benjamin felt before he blacked out was a searing pain as if a mixture of fire and acid was shooting through his veins.

**Thank you for reading, please leave a review and check out my other stories. Until next time thank you for the support. **


	26. Chapter 25

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter it is owned by JK Rowling**

**The Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher**

**AN: I'm still looking for a Beta Reader for this story. If you're interested please PM me and we can go from there. Enjoy the chapter.**

**Chapter 25**

**The Aftermath **

Benjamin awoke with a headache and slowly rose to his feet. A shocked gasped escaped his mouth as he saw that the Basilisk had been reduced to a mere skeleton. Seeing the remains of the journal he grabbed it and put in his robes and headed toward the entrance as Slick returned to his arm.

As the teacher entered the second floor restroom Myrtle appeared out of her toilet.

"You have been down there for two days I thought for sure you were dead." The ghost said

"Thank you for your confidence, by the way the beast that killed you is dead."

Myrtle blinked a few times, "Thank you."

Benjamin nodded as he left the bathroom and made his way to his office. Heading to the restroom he took off his robes and saw that he indeed did have a tattoo. The head of the Basilisk began where he was bitten, the body wrapped around his entire torso and the tail ended down his other arm right above his hand. Looker closer in the mirror he noticed that once blue eyes now had a tinge of yellow in them.

A banging at his door drew the teacher's attention as he put on his robe and opened it to reveal a distraught Harry and Hermione.

"Professor we've been looking for you for days come on!" Hermione said nearly dragging the man out of his office.  
A few moments later the three found themselves in Lockhart's office. The man in question was out cold, and Neville was sitting in a corner clearly shaking well Luna sat next to him gently stroking his hand that she was holding.

Benjamin made his over to Neville and knelt down to the boys level. "Neville what happened?"

The frightened boy started to tell his tale, "No one had seen you in a few days sir, and we thought that maybe Lockhart could help. When we got here and he was packing his bags, Harry and Hermione tried to talk to him but he pulled out his wand and started to cast a spell. I cast a tickling charm and he pointed the wand at himself and his own spell hit him. Sir am I going to get expelled?"

Benjamin gave the boy a smile. "No Neville you won't get expelled. Harry, Hermione take this overgrown fool to the infirmary. Luna make sure Neville gets back to his dorm and speaks to his head of house." With a flick of his cane Lockhart was lifted up and began to float to the infirmary well Harry and Hermione followed. Meanwhile Luna still holding Neville's hand dragged the boy out of the room as they headed in the other direction.

"Winnie" Benjamin said.  
Said elf nearly toppled the man over as she hugged him.

"Sir I was so worried I couldn't feel your magic for a few days."

Benjamin gave the elf a gentle smile, "I am fine Winnie. Now I need you to go the Headmaster and get him to summon Ginny Weasley and her parents to his office. I'll join them shortly."

It was a nervous Ginny that entered the Headmaster's office and her anxiety only increased when see your parents there. Taking the seat in between them she bowed her head as the Headmaster gave her a twinkle filled smile.

A moment later Benjamin entered the room and threw the destroyed journal on the table. Ginny's eyes widened.

"I see you recognize this journal Ms. Weasley. Would you like to tell us how you got it?" Benjamin asked

At once the girl broke into tears and sobbed into her mother's chest. After a few minutes she regained her composure enough to tell the adults how she had found the journal in with her other books and started writing in it. Tom had become her friend and told her everything she wanted to hear. She recalled that she had blacked out on Halloween. Then a few weeks later she had blacked out again and woke up covered in feathers and blood. It was then the young girl realized what was happening and got rid of the journal.

"Albus what is going to happen our little girl?" Molly asked

The Headmaster turned to Benjamin.

"Well it's clear that isn't Ms. Weasley fault. No one was hurt or killed, and Tom has been taken care of. But it was mind magic and she will need help to get through this. Since Christmas break is starting I want her to see a mind healer twice a week during the break and at the very least till the end of the school year. That is nonnegotiable for her to stay at enrolled at this school. Now I know that money is tight in your family so need be I will pay for it.:

Molly's eyes narrowed at the man, "Now see here we don't need your charity."

Benjamin simply stared back at the woman, "Is your pride worth more than your child's safety?"

The two stared at each other for a few moments until Arthur placed his hand on his wife shoulder.

"We will gladly expect your help Professor." The Head of the Weasley family said

"Good I have set up an appointment with a mind healer in St. Mugo's for a couple days from now." Benjamin said handing Arthur a piece of paper.

With a thankful nod the three left the Headmaster's office as the teacher turned to the old man.

"It was a Basilisk that attacked the school. I killed it, and burned the body. I also know it was Tom Riddle who sent the beast loose the first time, not Hagrid. I am willing to give my memory if need be. I leave it to make to you to make sure the man gets his wand back. Oh Lockhart also had an accident and was sent to the infirmary. It is safe to say though that his days of teaching are over." Benjamin said

"Thank you for the information Mr. Voss. You have gone a good job once again." Albus said

"You sound sad Headmaster."

"Oh it just an old man's regrets boy nothing to do with you. Have a wonderful Christmas."

"You as well Headmaster."

As Benjamin left the office he saw the forms of Harry Potter and Lucius Malfoy along with Dobby standing in front of Harry. His pace increased to a run as he saw Malfoy raise his wand only to be thrown back by Dobby. By the time he reached the downed Malfoy Harry and Dobby were gone having walked pasted the down man.

The DADA teacher chuckled, "The great Lucius Malfoy defeated by a mere House Elf won't this be a grand story to tell."

Malfoy glared at him as he reached stood back up. "I admit it was a foolish act on my part but the stupid child cost me my elf."

"Well you should be thanking Dobby, if he hadn't stopped you would have attacked the heir of an Ancient and Noble house. If I remember correctly that would be cause for death, and no amount of money could have saved you from that." Benjamin said

Lucius snarled at him before his face became impassive. "My wife wishes to invite you and your _family_ (he spat the word) to the Ministries annual ball."

"Tell her thank you for the invitation and we will be there. It is the day after Christmas correct?" The teacher asked

With a nod Lucius left the hallway. As the blonde left his vision Benjamin headed toward his office and simply laid down on his bed and went to sleep.

In the Hall of Prophecies a prophecy orb gained yet another crack and dulled yet again.

**Thank you for reading, please leave a review and check out my other stories. Until next time thank you for the support. **


	27. Chapter 26

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter it is owned by JK Rowling**

**The Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher**

**Chapter 26**

**The Minister's Ball **

Alec pouted for what felt like the hundredth time that evening.

"But I don't want to go to a stupid dance." The boy whined dressed in a dark blue blazer and black shoes.

"I know sweetie but your cousin was invited, he asked if we wanted to go, and I said yes." Anna said combing the child's hair

"Why?" The boy asked

"Because she loves you Alec but she needs to spend time talking to other adults. How do you feel when your around me and your mom all the time?" Benjamin asked entering the room dressed in a dark green suit and matching pants.

"Bored" The boy answered

"That is how your mom feels sometimes, don't just think about just yourself think about her." Benjamin said giving the boy a half smile.

Alec turned back to his mom and hugged her. "You look pretty Mommy."

Anna smiled, "Thank you sweetie." She said kissing his cheek. Anna was dressed in a sparkling light blue dress, with matching heels. She turned to her nephew, "You still spent too much on it."

Benjamin rolled his eyes, "It costed barley anything. But that reminds me." Out from his cloak he pulled out a night stick and handed it to Anna while Alec wasn't looking. "I have etched a rune that will activate when the night stick popped out to it's full length. For only a moment wands any wizard around you will be stuck."  
"Why are you giving me this?" She asked as she put the weapon into her purse.

"Because we are headed into the viper's nest and I refuse to put my family in danger without an escape plan. Now we have to leave. Winnie." Benjamin called the elf and she popped the three to the Minister's residence

"Have a good evening." The elf said with a smile as she popped away.

The three made their way to the entrance to the mansion where an Auror was checking invitations.

"Invitation" The Auror said

Benjamin pulled out the card written in Narcissa's neat hand writing. Well the Auror was casting spells to make sure that the invitation was real from behind them the three heard, a series of coughs.

Benjamin turned to see Dolores Umbridge with a smile on her face.

"Good evening I'm-"The woman started

"I know who you are. What do you want?" Benjamin asked

The smile on the woman's face tightened, "I was told by the Minister to make sure no "unsavory" characters. (Her gaze turned to Alec and Anna) where to enter the ball."

Benjamin's eyes narrowed at the woman, but his frown turned into a smirk. "While we could leave but considering we were invited by the wife of Lord Malfoy and said Lord is a close friend to the Minster what gossip would be heard if it was learned that his own Undersecretary didn't allow the Malfoy's handpicked guests to enter. It wouldn't look good for either the Minster or yourself." The man finished with a smile.

The woman's smiled tightened even farther and looked like her lips would rip into half. "Have a good evening."  
"You as well" The man replied as the three of them entered the home. Before the three entered the ball room Benjamin placed his hand on Anna's shoulder.

"If that woman comes near you call Winnie, get Alec, and leave." He ordered

"What are about you?"

"I will show her it is unwise to mess with my family. But until that happens try to enjoy yourself." The man said

Anna chuckled, "The same to you nephew."

Benjamin gave a small grin as the three entered the ball room, it was quite a sight as it seemed the Minister or at the very least his House Elf's had gone all out to make the room look lovely with Christmas trees at the edges of a dance floor, a buffet style banquet, Christmas decorations all over, and a few dozen tables spread around.

"Well it seems that you have arrived," The voice of Augusta Longbottom rang out toward the three as Neville and surprisingly Luna trailed behind.

"Good Evening Madam Longbottom." Benjamin said. The woman nodded and her eyes turned to Anna and Alec. "May I introduce my Aunt Anna, and her son Alec.

Anna smiled and shook the offered hands as Alec peeked out from behind her back,

It was Luna that approached the boy dressed in a flowing silver dress

"Hi, my name is Luna. What's your name?"  
"Alec" The boy whispered

"Well Alec are you hungry?" The boy nodded, "Well about you come with me and Neville and we get you some food?"

Alec turned to his mother and cousin and both of them smiled. He walked out from behind his mother and took Luna's hand.

"You look pretty." The boy said

Luna smiled, "See Neville I'm not the only one who thinks you're pretty."  
Neville blushed and stammered; Alec giggled as Luna grabbed both boys by the hand and dragged them to the buffet.

"The boy nearly begged me to allow the girl to be his plus one. The girl is odd, but she helps Neville get out of his shell." Augusta said. She turned to Anna, "How about we leave the man to his people gazing." The Longbottom matriarch said as she led Anna over to a group of women which included Amelia Bones.

For the next couple of hours Benjamin did just that. His gaze was always on Alec or Anna who seemed to be a having a good time. Alec stuck to Neville and Luna like glue as the two Hogwarts students sat and talked to each other as well as Susan Bones, her friend Hannah, and the Greengrass sisters. Draco and his group sat at another table and glared at the others. All expect for Draco the boy simply glanced at the other table his face impassive.

"I am glad that you accepted my invitation." Narcissa's smooth voice graced his ears as the woman appeared next to him.

"Well how could I ignore an invitation from a woman such as you?" Benjamin sent the woman a grin.

The two stayed silent for a few moments until soft music began to play. Soon the dance floor was taken over by couples, that included a blushing Neville and Luna who had placed her head on his chest and was humming to the music. Not too far away Pansy Parkinson was doing the same with Draco, and the boy simply looked annoyed. Benjamin peered over the crowd and saw that Lucius Malfoy was talking to Fudge.

"Since your husband is otherwise occupied may I have the honor of a dance Lady Malfoy?" He extended his arm and a smile appeared on her face as the two walked onto the dance floor.

With practiced ease the two danced circles around the others on the floor as people stopped talking to watch the two.

"Benjamin everyone's watching us." Narcissa nearly hissed in embarrassment

"No my dear everyone is watching you, as they well should. You are stunning." The man said

A blush graced the woman's face at his words as she was dressed a strapless black dress with dark green trim and matching heels.

Too soon the song ended and they stopped dancing. Benjamin glanced up and saw the barley contained rage on Lucius face.

Bowing down he gently kissed Narcissa's hand, "Please thank your husband for allowing me the opportunity to dance with such a wondrous woman as yourself." He finished with a grin

"Thank you for the dance." The woman responded with a small smile of her own before she kissed his cheek at an angle that the kiss barely touched the edge of his own lips. As she turned around her face become impassive and she headed toward her husband.

As Benjamin walked off the dance floor Anna walked over with a half awake Alec cuddled over her shoulder.

"I think it is time we leave, and get the boy to bed." Anna said  
With a nod and a short wave to the Longbottom group the three left.

Meanwhile well everyone else moved on from the dance Draco's eyes narrowed in thought. Ever since the encounter in the book store the young snake had been watching his mother closer, and he had never seen her so at peace and happy as she had been in those few minutes dancing with his DADA teacher.

**Thank you for reading, please leave a review and check out my other stories. Until next time thank you for the support. **


	28. Chapter 27

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter it is owned by JK Rowling**

**The Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher**

**Chapter 27**

**The Ghosts of Broken Men **

The trio arrived back at the Voss manor.

"I'll put Alec to bed." Anna said as she headed upstairs

As the two headed upstairs Benjamin headed to the living room and brought a bottle of whisky with him. Pouring himself a drink the man thought over the last few hours, and a smile graced his face.

"Why did you break up?" The quiet voice Anna broke the man's thoughts

"There was a marriage contract involved." Was the short response.

"If it makes you feel better she seemed happy." Anna with a small smile

"I don't know if that makes it better or worse." Benjamin said taking a sip of whiskey

Anna simply gave the man a small smile before heading upstairs.

Staring into the fire a memory found itself shoved at the forefront of the man's mind.

_He stumbled out of the Slytherin common. What he heard couldn't have been true. Lucius and Narcissa were to be married. His chest hurt, maybe he needed to go to the Hospital Wing? But as that thought left him, a sudden surge of anger entered his mind. Moving quickly he found an empty broom closet and cast a silencing charm around it. By now he was shaking and without a thought he started punching the wall, over and over he slammed his fists against the brick. Every hit bringing a now bittersweet memory to the front of his mind, their first meeting, their first date, and there first kiss. His happiest memories since the death of his mother now tainted forever because of MALFOY!_

_The next moment he backed away and slid to the ground. He glanced at the blood smear on the wall across from him; at least it looked like he had been able to crack a brick or two. He raised his hands to eye level and saw them covered in dried blood and definitely broken. The boy felt so tired the last thing he remembered was the door to the closet opening. _

_A glaring light entered his eyes as Benjamin awoke. _

"_Good you're awake." The drawling voice of one Severus Snape said from the side._

"_Snape?" He asked_

_The young man nodded from his seat by his bed, "I found you after your potion's accident and brought you. Madam Pomfrey fixed your hands and you should be able to leave for dinner this evening. _

"_My potion's accident?" Snape simply rolled his eyes as the other boy put the pieces together. "Oh yes my POTION'S ACCIDENT!" he said rather loudly. Severus simply rolled his eyes again. _

_There was silence for a few moments. _

"_I want to kill him." Benjamin suddenly said_

"_I have no doubt you could, but what good would it do? You would only be hurting yourself and it would cause Narcissa untold problems. That is the last thing you want to do." Snape said_

_Benjamin simply laid in his bed knowing that the other boy was right._  
_"Severus thank you." His voice broke the silence between the two._

_The other snake simply nodded as the two remained in silence until Pomfrey returned to clear Benjamin. _

The cackle of the fire brought Benjamin back to the present. He grabbed his bottle and went to another fireplace and threw floo powder into it.

"Hogwarts Severus Snape's quarters." He spoke. At once the image of the man's appeared sneering at him.

"Voss? What do you want?"

"To speak to an old friend, plus I bring whiskey." Benjamin said

Snape's sneer lessened, "I'll have to glasses ready."

The next moment Benjamin entered the Potion Master's quarters and sat down in the offered chair and poured the whiskey. The two sat in silence for a few moments.

"I want to apologize Severus during our last encounter I was overly harsh."  
"You were harsh but you were correct. She is dead because of me, because of my youthful foolishness, and my lust for power and respect. It is by far my greatest regret."

"We all have our ghosts Severus. I often wonder what mine will say to me when it is my time to face them." Benjamin said

"I must thank you for giving me a form of entertainment this year. Ever since the start of the year I have been trading letters with Lucius and he was most interested in your past relationship with Narcissa."

"What did you tell him?"

"Nothing he couldn't find out for himself. He seems afraid that you will steal his wife."

"I wonder if he worried about losing his wife or the black name more."

"You truly don't believe he loves her?"

"I am sure he does, but I think he loves the money and power that comes from having married a Black more. You of all people should understand how I feel Severus." Benjamin said

The Potion Master glared at him but the DADA professor simply met his gaze.

"Are you trying to steal Narcissa?"  
"No, but if an opportunity comes I can't say for sure that I will have the power to say no." Benjamin said truthfully. Snape simply looked shocked at the man's confession. The other man glared at him. "Don't you give me that look Severus as if you wouldn't do the same if our situations were reversed if it was Lily." The man spat at him, his tone was slightly harsh.

Severus glared at the man but could not rebuke his words, if she was alive and wanted to repair their friendship and for it become more than that, he would have jumped at the chance. But before the fantasy could take hold, his mind was filled with images of a smiling Lily and _James Potter._ No matter what he wanted to think Potter and Lily were madly in love by the end of their years at Hogwarts. There was never a chance that she would leave Potter. Snape's anger rose he took a breath and thought of Lucius and Narcissa. He was close to both of them and Godfather to their only son, but he could not remember them once showing affection to one another, but again perhaps they did in private.

In the end Severus simply shrugged his shoulders. "Either way be careful, Lucius is not a man to be crossed lightly.  
Benjamin nodded and finished his drink, "I have to be getting back. Have a good Christmas Severus and know you are welcome at my home anytime."

"Don't forget your whisky." Snape said  
"Consider it an apology gift my friend." The DADA teacher said as he entered the fire place and vanished in a puff of green smoke.

**Thank you for reading, please leave a review and check out my other stories. Until next time thank you for the support. **


	29. Chapter 28

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter it is owned by JK Rowling**

**The Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher**

**Chapter 28**

**The Choices of Childhood**

The rest of the Christmas Holidays and in fact the rest of the school term, went off without a hitch. It was the last few days of term when a knock came on Benjamin's door.

"Enter"

Hermione entered the office looking quite perplexed.

"Ms. Granger if this is about your exam score you know I can't tell you what your grade." Benjamin said with a small smile.

The young girl cracked a small smile as she took a seat but soon the look on her face returned.

"Professor what can you tell me about House Elf's?" The girl asked

"Why do you ask Ms. Granger?"

"Well it's just over the break Harry said that he an elf called Dobby formed a bond."

"Trust me Ms. Granger, Mr. Potter is no danger from Dobby. But your first question is more complicated. House Elf's are magical beings that need to bond with either a family, or a witch or wizard to survive. In exchange the elf works for the wizard or witch."  
"That sounds like slavery." Hermione said

Benjamin gave a small grin, "It is more like a symbiotic relationship. The House Elf needs the human's magic to live. But I do agree that in the case of an abusive master or mistress the elf should be able to leave. As of now the only way for a elf to leave is for their owner to give them clothes. But if anyone needs a House Elf it is Mr. Potter."

"But Harry has his family, why would he need an elf?" The girl asked

"That is not my story to tell, Ms. Granger. But perhaps in time Mr. Potter will tell you. Now if there is nothing else I can help you with, may I escort you to the Great Hall for dinner?"

The girl nodded but as they approached the door she stopped, "Do you think that someday House Elf's will be free?"  
"It all depends on if they able to find a way to survive without another being's magic. Maybe you will be the one who finds it, but if you do it you must allow the House Elf to choose to be free. If you force freedom on them it would make you no better than people you are trying to take them away from. Life is about choices Ms. Granger and you must be ready to live with the consequences of each one them whether you like it or not." The Professor finished

Hermione nodded thinking carefully on what her teacher said as the two approached the Great Hall.

"Oh, and Ms. Granger have a good summer." He said with a smile

"You as well Professor." Hermione said

After dinner Benjamin was at the door to his office when he suddenly stopped.

"Have you come to kill me Mr. Malfoy?" He asked

Out of the shadows came a shaking Draco with his wand pointed at his professor. Benjamin turned to look at the boy.

"Well Mr. Malfoy are you going to kill me?"

"I-I-I don't know?" The boy said

"Well then may we go into my office until you decide what to do?" He asked

The boy nodded and the two entered the DADA's office with the boys wand still pointed at him and they both sat down.

"Why are you doing this Mr. Malfoy?"

"Why are you trying to destroy my family sir?" Draco spat at him. Benjamin simply raised an eyebrow. This just angered the boy more, "Don't play dumb sir. I see the way you look at my mother and way she looks at you. She never looks at father that way, and I won't have you tear my family apart!" The boy was shaking and there were tears running down his cheeks.

Benjamin just frowned as Salazar's wand fell into his hand and with a spell Draco was disarmed and with another wave of the wand the boy was asleep in the chair.

"Winnie." The elf appeared. "Please take Mr. Malfoy to the Hospital Wing. Tell Madam Pomfrey that I will be there soon, and tell her to have a Calming Draught and A Dreamless Sleep potion on hand." The Elf nodded and with a pop both of them were gone.

Benjamin headed to the fireplace and threw in floo powder, "Severus Mr. Malfoy just tried to attack me.

"He did what!" Snape shouted.

"The boy is fine. What I need you to do is contact Narcissa. Tell her to meet me in the Hospital Wing." With that the connection ended.

Narcissa entered the Hospital Wing equal worried and angry. She was angry at her son for trying to attack his teacher, and worried that he had got himself hurt. See saw Draco asleep on a bed and Benjamin watching over him. As she entered he turned around and gestured for her to approach.

"Poppy, said he should be awake soon." The man said

"Severus said he tried to attack you?" Narcissa asked

"Yes he did. He is worried that I will destroy his family. His is afraid that I will steal you away from Lucius."

Neither got a chance to comment about that statement as Draco began to stir, as he opened his eyes they widened as when he saw who was at his bedside. Narcissa took a step forward about to verbally tear into her son for such a foolish plan. But Benjamin placed a gentle hand on her side to stop her.

"Mr. Malfoy I understand the fear that caused you to do what you did, but there other ways to go about getting what you want." Benjamin stretched out his arm and gestured Draco to do the same. "Channel your magic into your arm." The boy did and he felt a tingle as their magic intertwined. "I swear on my magic that I will _never_ force Narcissa Malfoy-Black to do anything against her will through muggle, magical, or any other means. So mote it be. " A burst of magic dispersed through the room at end of his statement. "Do you know what I just did Draco?"

The boy nodded, "You just swore a magical oath. If you break you lose your magic."  
Benjamin smiled, "That is correct and does it get rid of any fears you have?"

The boy nodded and Benjamin smiled as he got up and left the room.

"You didn't have to do that." Narcissa said

"Yes I did. He might have tried it again, or done something more drastic. I won't have a child ruin his life based on fear of something that can't happen. " He said

"Can't it?" Narcissa whispered

Benjamin took a deep breath; there it was the hope for a second chance. But they couldn't not now, it would destroy to many lives. He needed to stop this, he needed to destroy any hope there was for them to rekindle a romance. No matter how much it hurt it needed to be done for the both of them.

"You know it can't. During school we weren't brave enough, and now we have people that depend on us. We can't uproot their lives for such a selfish request. Besides we're different people now. The boy you knew is dead buried under a decade of bodies, blood, and self-imposed exile. The young woman you were has become a queen of Pure Blood society and a force to be reckoned with. Whatever we could have been is now simply and will forever be a dream."

Narcissa gave him tear filled smiled, "How even when you are breaking my heart you still make me feel like the most important person in the world Benj?"

Benjamin smiled sadly at her as Narcissa wiped the tears from her face. "Do not worry about Draco we will call this a youthful mistake and leave it at that, and we both know Severus will never say anything You can take him home in the morning."

"Have a good summer Lady Malfoy."

"You as well Professor." Narcissa replied

Taking a deep breath Benjamin centered himself as he returned to his office.

Narcissa simply stood in the hallway for a few minutes as she realized just now how much she hated the title of Lady Malfoy especially when it came from Benjamin's lips.

**That wraps up Year 2. Thank you for reading, please leave a review and check out my other stories. Until next time thank you for the support. **


	30. Chapter 29

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter it is owned by JK Rowling**

**The Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher**

**Chapter 29**

**A Summer Shopping Trip**

Summer was half way done and Benjamin found himself meditating in his room after breakfast. Since merging with the Basilisk something had felt different. Taking a deep breath he drew on his magic and felt it begin to flow around him. A few moments later he began to dig deeper and that is when he felt the change. In his mind's eye he could see a coil of green magic interject itself with the rest of his magic and the colors began to merge into on solid shade of silver. The magic flowed into his eyes and he was forced to open them.

A light gasp echoed through the room as his once normal eye color was replaced with irises of sickly yellow. A soft knocking at the door caused the man to turn his head.

"Alec, Myself, and Winnie are going to Diagon Alley. Do you want to join us?" Anna asked

Benjamin quickly looked back and saw that his eyes had returned to normal. "Sure just give me a few minutes to get ready."

The shopping trip had been normal and since Alec had behaved himself the group headed into pet shop before leaving. The boy's eyes widened as he took in all the animals. He went to each cage and stared at each animal in wonder. From the back a rattling was heard and a blur of feathers rushed past them and flew around the shop. The blur landed on Alec's shoulder, and it turned out to be an owl the size of soda can with black feathers and blue eyes.

"That bloody owl got out again." The Shopkeeper said "He seems to like the lad. I'll let you take it for 10 galleons plus a month's supply of food."

Alec stared at Benjamin with big eyes.

"Please Benjamin?" He asked in his highest pitched voice

"You already have Fitz the kneazle, are you taking care of him?" The man asked. The boy nodded his head. He glanced at Anna and the woman nodded to confirm. He turned toward Winnie and the Elf had an angry look on her face. The man quickly put the dots together and a smirk appeared on his face. "Well Alec the choice isn't really mine. It is Winnie's, because an owl is used to deliver mail and we have Winnie who delivers ours so we don't need an owl. You'll have to ask her."

At once the boy turned to the Elf. Winnie simply humphed.

"Little Sir has no need for an owl, because Winnie can deliver his letters." The Elf said. Alec lowered his head and began to sniffle, Winnie frowned and sighed. "But Winnie does get busy so an owl could be helpful. But Little Sir must take care of it. Understand?" Winnie said pointedly

Alec's face broke out into a large smile as he hugged the Elf. "Thanks Winnie I promise I'll take great care of him."

A few minutes later the owl who Alec named Rush was paid for. As the four left the shop from a window Benjamin recognized the shabby robes of a man that had been following them the past few minutes. The DADA teacher began to walk slower and as the group passed an alleyway he grabbed the stranger by the robes and slammed him into the alley wall.

"Why are you following us?" He demanded to know. His sword at the man's heart.

The stranger tried to raise his arms, "I don't mean you any harm. I just wanted to talk to you. You are Benjamin Voss correct?"

"Yes" He replied releasing the man.

As Benjamin got a good look at the stranger he noticed his shabby robes and shrunken in face, and his eyes by all accounts it seemed the man needed quite a bit of sleep.

"My name is Remus Lupin, and I'm going to be your assistant this year." The man said.

Benjamin eyes narrowed as he recognized the name. "Pray tell how are you supposed to teach with your "furry little problem"?"  
Now Lupin's eyes narrowed, "How do you know about that?" Then his eyes widened. "Snape, that wasn't my fault."

"No it wasn't which is why you weren't the one to get pranked. But answer my question, my last assistant was a fraud. What makes a werewolf any less dangerous?"

"The Wolfsbane potion. I take a day or two before the full moon. I still transform but I keep my mind."

"I will require other safeguards. I won't just have you forget to take the potion one month. The moment you enter the castle you get a House Elf to deliver you the potion every month no matter where you are or what you are doing. Understand?" Benjamin said

Remus nodded the head and the two left the alley.

"Who is this?" Anna asked

"This is my new assistant this year Mr. Remus Lupin. We have quite a bit to discuss, so if Winnie can take you two home? I will be back for dinner."

Anna nodded and Alec waved as Winnie popped them away.

"Come, let's talk at the Leaky Cauldron we have to set out a basic lesson plan." Benjamin said

"Were they your wife and son?" Lupin asked

"Aunt and cousin." Was the curt reply

The two had lunch in the Leaky Cauldron and came up with the plan that Remus would teach the years 1-3, and Benjamin would teach years 4-7. But Lupin would go to Benjamin about practical lessons. So far the first practical lesson was for the third years about facing a Boggart. "We will need an excuse though, for why you are always "sick". Some of the more curious students will figure out your curse right away if we don't." Benjamin said

"There is no need. A few Pepper Up potions I'll be fine." Remus said with a small smile.

"Well then there is only one thing more thing I need from you. Meet me in the field to the north of the pub in a few minutes." Benjamin said as a pop he was gone.

Lupin walked to the large field far away from prying eyes and saw Benjamin with his blade drawn.

"We are going to duel. You take the first shot." The DADA teacher said

"Stupefy" Lupin said

Benjamin easily deflected the spell.

"Come now you can do better than that." The man's sarcasm dripping heavily

Remus narrowed his eyes, "Stupefy, Reducto, Rictusempra!" He shouted breathing heavily not used to using that much magic.

Again Benjamin deflected them easily.

"A powerful string of attacks, but in the end useless. " He aimed his blade at the ground near Lupin's feet, "Bombarda." At once the earth exploded in front of the werewolf and when the dust settled Benjamin's blade was at his neck. The DADA teacher stared at Remus for a long moment, "That was acceptable. Nothing impressive but still." He threw Lupin a bag full of galleons. "Use that to buy any supplies you need."

Remus glanced in the bag. "There has to be over a thousand galleons here."

"The rest you are free to use as you see fit. May I suggest new set of robes, a professor shouldn't look like a pauper now, should he. I look forward to working with you Mr, Lupin." And with that Benjamin popped away.

**Thank you for reading, please leave a review and check out my other stories. Until next time thank you for the support. **


	31. Chapter 30

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter it is owned by JK Rowling**

**The Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher**

**Chapter 30**

**One's own worst Enemy**

The first day of the semester brought with it storms as Benjamin watched the rain pour out his window thinking through recent events. .Sirius Black had escaped and was most likely headed to the school, and in the Ministry's infinite "wisdom" they had placed Dementor's around the school, and one had even found it's way onto the Express. Shaking his head Benjamin left his office and began creating his own defenses. On every entry way in and outside the castle he placed a rune that if a creature crossed it, it would explode and cause a burst of light. He then headed to the Gryffindor entrance and ignoring the protests of the Fat Lady placed runes that would alert him if someone tried to force themselves into the dorm.

When he returned to his office he saw Remus standing outside it.

"You were missed at the feast." The man said

Benjamin simply waved him off and headed into his office gesturing Lupin to follow.

"I have spent the last few hours upgrading the defenses of the castle to protect it from Dementor's and Black. As for the soul suckers there is nothing we can do about them, but as for Black all the defenses in the world don't matter if we can't do, what must be done if we catch him." Benjamin leaned forward. "Lupin if you find Black will you be able to harm or even kill him?"

Remus's eyes hardened, "After his betrayal yes, yes I can."

Benjamin nodded, "Good. I suggest you rest, the first lesson is always the hardest."

With a small nod and a smile Lupin left the office.

"Now that we all know the wand movement and how to pronounce the spell let's test it out. Please all get in a line." Was what Benjamin heard as he entered the Third Years defense class the next day.

Remus glanced at the door way and nodded at the man. "Now remember Riddikulus." The teacher said as he opened the door and out popped a clown.

The next few minutes consisted of students turning their fears into silly things. It ranged from Spiders, to Clowns. But when Harry Potter approached, both Lupin and Benjamin stood on edge. Neither wanted a Boggart Dark Lord to appear for any longer than it needed to. Both men were surprised that instead of the Dark Lord a Dementor appeared. Harry and Lupin were both stunned and as the creature charged forward Benjamin appeared in front of creature and the children. At once the creature shifted from a Dementor to a younger Benjamin in torn up robes, his hair unruly and like the rest of his body covered in blood, dirt, and sweat. Just as he was the night he had butchered the Death Eater with his bare hands. But the eyes were what people would be drawn to, they were empty, uncaring, they held no emotion, this was a being with no soul.

The Boggart charged but Benjamin slammed his cane on the ground and sent the creature back into the wardrobe and locked it. The DADA teacher took a deep breath as Lupin dismissed the class. Before the other man could get a word out, Benjamin had already left.

It was a few hours later and Benjamin was nursing his third glass of fire whisky when there was a knock at the door.

"Enter" The teacher said

Lupin appeared and sat down across from Benjamin who slid the man a glass.

Remus took a sip. "I and the rest of the Order always wondered if you were a myth or not. The Hunter is what we called you."

"Order?"

"The Order of the Phoenix. A group the Headmaster put together during the war. Our methods were different than yours. Non-lethal."

Benjamin gave a dark chuckle, "In war that is very stupid approach to take."

The werewolf shrugged, "Maybe, but my worst fear isn't myself, is it?"

Benjamin narrowed his eyes at the man, "I do not fear what I did. Nor do I regret what I did. I killed monsters, men and women that needed to be put down. What I fear is what I would have become if didn't have the wisdom to stop. I crossed a line and became no better than the people I was hunting. If I had continued I would have become far worse, a merciless, near unstoppable killing machine. The Dark Lord and his followers are monsters, but they kill for a purpose to intimidate, to impose fear, or in some warped concept to prove their "superiority". The only thing worse is a being that kills to simply kill. That is what I would have become and I would have left a scorched world behind me before I stopped."

Suddenly the Benjamin's office door opened to reveal Severus Snape.

"Severus what can I do for you?" Benjamin asked

Snape glared for a moment at Lupin,"I was wondering if you had any ideas for extra safeguards against Black's entry."

"I have, now sit and let us discuss." The Potion's Master didn't move. Benjamin's voice took a hard edge. "Severus sit." He all but ordered. Snape glared at him but still took the seat and the offered drink.

Benjamin finished off his glass, "Now gentlemen I know there is bad blood between you two, and I don't expect it just disappear. But for a year you two are stuck together, and Severus you are brewing the potion that allows the man to keep his sanity. So both of you shake hands and for this year at least let the past remain in the past."

After a moment Lupin raised his hand, and Snape glanced at a bemused Benjamin before taking the offered hand and shook. Benjamin gave a small smile and the trio discussed security measures that could be put into place.

**Thank you for reading, please leave a review and check out my other stories. Until next time thank you for the support. **


	32. Chapter 31

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter it is owned by JK Rowling**

**The Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher**

**Chapter 31**

**Trapped**

The next few weeks of the school year went by without a hitch. Until one night a blood curdling scream echoed across the castle. Benjamin was the first to arrive at the Gryffindor entrance seconds behind Mcgonagall. The two saw that the portrait that the Fat Lady used was torn to shreds.

"What happened?" Mcgonagall asked the portrait her Scottish brogue coming through in anger and fear.

"Black he tried to enter but he didn't have the password. He got angry and attacked." The Fat Lady said

"Perfects escort all students to the Great Hall." Mcgonagall ordered

Turning his head to look out the window the DADA teacher saw a shadow moving away from the castle. With a wave of his cane the glass in front of him vanished and he dived out the window. As he reached the ground he cast a feather light charm on himself and landed on the ground with a roll and dashed after his target. The chase took them across the Quidditch field and as they passed the stands Benjamin could swear Black started to run on four legs. But before he could think more about it his breath began to show and he felt his body grow cold and the hand of fear grip him. He turned his head to see three Dementor's headed toward him. He glanced back to see that Black had vanished.

"Black is gone return to your posts." He ordered. His words were meaningless to the cloaked figures as they simply floated faster toward him. The man's breath grew shaky as the world seemed to freeze around him. He drew his blade but before he could strike, the world around him disappeared and he surrounded by the smell of blood, sweat, and death. With a blink he was returned back to reality as the Dementor's descended upon him. Benjamin slashed at one but it simply went through the monster's cloak. The world was flashing back and forth the smells were growing stronger and the screams. The terrified haunting screams of those he failed. The teacher's cane hit the ground with a light thud, as the man curled into himself whimpering. The last thing he remembered seeing was a flash of silver light.

_It was the smell of decaying flesh that hit his nose first. Benjamin snapped awake and saw that he was top someone. He body shook as he took in his bloody hands. Glancing down he saw the mush that was once a Death Eater's face. With a grunt he got up and looked over the bodies of the children. With a deep sigh he waved his cane and began to bury the bodies to give them a drop of dignity. Just as he finished burying the last child the radio on his belt came to life._

"_We have captured the Lestrange's, and Crouch Jr, calling all available Aurors to help assist with transport." _

_His eyes narrowing Benjamin apparitioned and landed in a field were not too far away a large group of people were being blocked by a group of Aurors. The man was able to shoulder his way to the front of the crowd._  
_"People please were apparitioning the Death Eater's for trails in just a few minutes."_

"_Trials? These monsters' after everything they've done, after the people they tortured they get a trial!" Benjamin growled as his eyes turned to the chained Death Eater's being led out. _

_With a death grip on his cane Benjamin took one Auror down with a swift punch to the gut and dispatched the second with an elbow to the nose. He then charged with the rest of the crowd toward the Death Eaters. _

_His eyes trained on Bellatrix Lestrange he shouted, "__**AVADA KEDA-!**__" _

_The man was thrown to the floor as ropes covered his body. _

_A young Amelia Bones was the one had cast the spell, just a moment before she had arrived with a battalion of Aurors. "You two get them out of here!" She shouted to the Auror's with the Death Eaters. With a pop they were gone, "The rest of you get this crowd under control." She ordered._

_By now Benjamin had been able to sit himself upright, "You shouldn't have stopped me." _

"_I can't have people taking justice into their own hands." Amelia replied._

_Benjamin let out a dark chuckle. "Justice? Monsters only deserve death. But then the words of a failure mean very little. "The man closed his eyes and concerted his magic as with a burst of magic the Aurors and civilians were thrown backwards. Amelia blinked as Benjamin grabbed his cane and walked past her. It was his eyes that would haunt for the next decade. Never had she seen such hate, such self- loathing in a single glance, With a pop he was gone._

_He arrived home in the middle of the living room. Dropping his cane he glanced at his blood stained hands. With a rage filled yelled he slammed them against the floor over, and over until the wood was replaced with concrete and concrete was replaced with dirt. Afterword's he collapsed to his side as darkness over took him. _

Severus stumbled back but was caught by the hand of Madam Pomfrey. The Potion Master glanced at the DADA teacher magically cuffed to the bed. His brow was creased and sweat was pouring down his face as he was whimpering.

"It's worse than I thought. It seems that his mind is trapped in a loop of his worst memories. I think this may be beyond your power to heal him Pomfrey." Snape said

"Give me at least until morning before I send him to St. Mugo's." The medi witch said

Snape nodded as he returned to his office and grabbed a bottle of fire whisky. Benjamin's mind was one of the darkest he had ever entered. It seemed that the Dementors had destroyed any and all Occlumency shields the man had created. Simply skimming the man's surface thoughts Snape felt the hate, fear and self-loathing that his fellow teacher had kept under wraps.

"Severus may I come through?" The voice of Narcissa Malfoy asked from the fire place. The man answered with a nod.

Narcissa appeared in the office. "Is what I heard was true? Was Sirius able to enter the school?"  
"Yes Black was able to even get to the door of the Gryffindor dorms. But Benjamin gave chase after of course jumping out one the highest windows of the school. I swear I heard most of the male students exclaim how "bloody wicked" it was. "  
Narcissa let out a soft laugh, "Yes Benji may have had the head of a snake, but when it comes to his heart he is fully a lion." The woman noticed the slight twitch when she mentioned Benjamin. "Severus what happened?"

Snape let out a deep sigh, "When he was chasing Black Benjamin was attacked by three Dementors. He was rescued moments later, but the creatures still did a great deal of damage." The man took a sip of whiskey. "The best we can gather is he is trapped in his own mind reliving his worst memoires and it is slowly destroying his brain."

"How long does he have?" Narcissa asked

Snape simply shrugged, "He is being sent to St. Mugo's in the morning. But the effects of Dementors are not widely known. "The former Slytherin got up from her seat. "Be warned it is not a pleasant sight."

Seemly ignoring the man's words Narcissa left his office and entered the Hospital Wing. The sight that greeted her nearly broke her heart as she saw Benjamin cuffed like an animal to a bed. He was sweating profusely and whimpering struggling against his binds. Quickly she grabbed a chair and sat down next to the man and placed a comforting hand on his forehead and gently took his hand in hers. One of Benjamin's eyes flew open and Narcissa met the terrified look with one of steel and calm and soon the man stopped thrashing about and soon his eyes closed as he seemed to relax and enter a somewhat peaceful sleep.

Narcissa gave a sad smile as she continued to gently rub Benjamin's hand late into the night.

**Thank you for reading, please leave a review and check out my other stories. Until next time thank you for the support. **


	33. Chapter 32

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter it is owned by JK Rowling**

**The Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher**

**Chapter 32**

**Release**

It was with a gentle shove that Narciassa awoke at Benjamin's bedside. The woman turned her head to see Pomfrey slightly smiling.

"Lady Malfoy I suggest you leave. I am sure you have other duties to attend to." The Healer said

The woman quickly nodded and got to her feet the red from her cheeks retreating quickly as expression changed to a frown as she glanced at the unmoving form of Benjamin.

"Is there any possible way to heal to him?" She asked

"If there it is beyond my knowledge dear. I am having him sent to St. Mungos in a few hours. Would like me to send you the room number so that you could visit him?" The Healer asked

Narciassa gave a small smile and nodded before moving over to Benjamin's bedside and gave his cheek a gentle caress before leaving the Hospital Wing. As the woman left Pomfrey glanced at her patient.

"Believe it or not during your school years I was rooting for both of you. But alas somethings aren't meant to be." The Healer spoke more to herself then her patient.

But her eyes soon rose as she felt a pulse magic explode from Benjamin nearly knocking her to the floor. She quickly did a scan and found powerful foreign magic had entered the man's system and it seemed to for lack of a better term "fighting" the magic that the Dementors had left in the man's system that was eating away at his mind. Poppy quickly cast a protective spell around the man's bed and ran to get Severus and the Headmaster. The Healer never noticed that a certain Founder's wand had found it's way into the man's hand.

Deep in his mind Benjamin was awoken from his blackout by the creak of his front door opening and a brief flash of sunlight. Forcing himself to stand he slowly walked to the door and as he reached the door he was forced to shield his eyes from the bright light that erupted in front of him.

When he opened his eyes he heard the sounds of nature and in front was a simple bench on a cliff face overlooking the reservoir below. But what caught Benjamin's attention the most was the figure sitting on the bench. It was a bald man dressed in a dark green cloak etched with silver snakes on the sleeves, with a black goatee and mustache graying with age.

"It is quite a beautiful sight. I can see why you used it for your Occlumency. It's quite close to home as well, right behind your manor in fact." The man turned toward Benjamin his almost yellow eyes shining with a mischief about them. "Come boy sit we have very little time."

Benjamin did as he was instructed and sat down next the man he knew was his ancestor Salazar Slytherin.

"I must say being able to call on the family magic in her state is quite a feat. Not that I am that surprised that one of my blood is strong." The man spoke

"Being related to you has nothing to do with my inner strength. Neither does my being Pure Blood."

Salazar smirked, "An answer Godric would be approve of. But being my heir is not the worst thing that has happened to you by far."

"Other than the fact that I am blood related to a mad men no."

Salazar narrowed his eyes, _"That fool knows nothing of what I stood for. Neither do you so called "history books"_ The founder cursed in Parselmouth. "I did not care about blood purity even back then we were too small a community to care about such nonsense. We needed all those with magic in their blood for numbers alone. But my distaste of muggles is true. During my time they were burning our people at the stakes, or at the very least trying to. For a trained witch or wizard there trials were merely child's play. But for untrained children they meant certain death. These children; especially those born in non-magical households; needed to be found and trained at any cost, even if they had to be kidnapped from their homes. That is the straw that finally forced me to leave Hogwarts. I tried to argue the need to take these children, I lectured the others for days, weeks, months on end about how a muggle wouldn't understand magic and even the smallest act of accidental magic would be seen as witch craft and they would condom there child to certain death. How even a child who wasn't turned over to the stake was even more dangerous, that having a untrained witch or wizard walking around was a mistake waiting to happen. But the others did not agree. They believed there was another way that a muggleborns parents could be taught to understand our society. I thought that such thing was a childish fantasy, but then the others also had more hope in people as a whole than I. I am almost sad to see that history proved us both correct in the end. How there are muggleborns in your school, but how they are treated as second class citizens in the magical world. Yet it pains me to think about how many could have been saved if the others had simply listened to me."

Benjamin chuckled, "When I'm glad to see that parts of the journals I have read are true"

"Yes being my heir has made your life a tad more complicated. Not that it was simple to begin with. I don't suppose seeing the worst parts of your life has put certain things into perspective has it?" Salazar turned so that his body was facing Benjamin who remained stone faced. "I thought not." The Founder said turning back

"That is all you have to say?"

"I can't force you to see things a certain way. That is only something you can do boy. But I will say that forgiving yourself will be the hardest thing you ever do. Whether you can do it, well that remains to be seen." Salazar looked up to the setting sun. "Well it seems our time is up. Live well boy."

Those were the last words Benjamin heard before he awoke the next moment in the hospital wing. Blinking his to get used to the light the man got to his feet and stretched for a few moments. It was then that he noticed that he had Salazar's wand in his hand. Reaching out with his magic he called his cane to his hand. Then he gave himself a sniff and turned his head in disgust. First stop after leaving was to take a shower. He was headed toward the door when suddenly Snape and Poppy entered. Benjamin subconsciously hid Salazar's wand.

"You're up." Snape said

"And it seems that he is completely fine." Poppy said after performing a few tests.

"If that true than may I leave? I have been out a few days and I must have quite a bit of paperwork to catch up on."

"About that, the Headmaster has granted you an early start to winter break since your incident. Lupin has agreed to take the rest of semester. The Headmaster expects you to leave when you are able." Snape said

Benjamin nodded and left the room and was headed toward his office when he heard raised voices.

"Harry let a professor take a look at it!"  
"It's just a broomstick Hermione."

"That was sent by a man that is trying to kill you!"

"If I don't get it checked are you really to get a teacher?"

"Yes. I already nearly lost you once this year because of those stupid Dementor's. I'm not going to have you get hurt because you refuse to have a broom checked because it's a FireBolt." The curly haired girl said folding her arms over her chest. "  
"Ms. Granger, Mr. Potter what is happening here?" Benjamin asked

"Professor you're okay." Hermione said. Harry as well had a smile on his face.

"Yes Ms. Granger I have recovered. Now what has brought this shouting match to my door step?"

Hermione blushed which caused Harry to have to tell the story about during his last Quidditch match the Dementors had attacked him and he had nearly fallen to death and that his broom was destroyed. How earlier that morning he had received the broom in the mail.

"Well there is the way to end this, Mr. Potter hand we the broom." Benjamin ordered

Harry glanced down at the piece of wood, Hermione rolled her eyes and gave the boy a shove and it flew out his hands and into the DADA's professor's. Casting a few spells on it. He nodded and handed it back to Harry.

"Your broom stick is safe Mr. Potter. But may I suggest next time both you let cooler heads prevail. A friendship such as yours too strong to let a simple object destroy it." The Professor said as he left the two teens alone and headed to his office. He smiled as he heard mumbled "I'm sorries from each teenager.

He had almost finished packing when a knock on the door revealed Lupin.

"So you're back in the land of the living then?" The man asked with a chuckle.

Benjamin nodded, "I'm also taking the Headmaster's advice and starting my winter break early. If you could please send me the 3rd-7th years assignments after Christmas so that I can get a study plan ready for the next semester that would be great. Teaching all the classes hasn't been too much for you?"

Lupin nodded, "I've be fine, but the older classes did miss you and will be glad to have you back. Anything else?"  
The DADA Profosser stopped packing and took a breath "Mr. Black sent Harry Potter a FireBolt and it was simply a racing broom. No curses, no potions, and it wasn't even a portkey. Those aren't the actions of a murderer. You tare he only one left alive that knows the man Lupin, so I have to ask is it possible that Sirus is innocent?" Benjamin asked

The werewolf bowed his head. "I don't truly know. I hope that he is, but all the evidence points to him."

"What evidence?"

"What eye witnesses said happened."  
Benjamin raised an eyebrow, "There are no court records or anything else to incriminate him? Just the words of people on the street. That is beyond shotty auror work. During break I'll investigate, see if I can open some doors."

"But what if he is innocent?"  
"Then we find out who really betrayed the Potters and get them sent through the Veil. Have a good break Lupin." Benjamin said as he left the office.

"You as well." The werewolf replied.

**Thank you for reading, please leave a review and check out my other stories. Until next time thank you for the support. **


	34. Chapter 33

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter it is owned by JK Rowling

The Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher

Chapter 33

Remembering the Good

Benjamin arrived at his home to a very disgruntled looking Winnie. Said elf was tapping her foot with a frown on her face.

"Do the others know?" He asked. Winnie shook her head. "Please let's keep it that way Winnie."

"How could Sir be so stupid as to let two Dementors attack him. Why didn't sir cast a patronus?" As Benjamin remained silent, Winnie cocked her heard and her already wide eyes widened even more in realization. "Sir can't cast a patronus." She whispered a hint of pity in her voice.

Narrowing his eyes at the Elf Benjamin entered the house. Slamming of the door indicated that the head of house Voss had entered his home. Winnie's expression turned into determination as she popped away.

Narcissa was sitting on a couch sipping some wine reading a book. While trying to read would be more correct, her mind couldn't focus on the words. She had just heard from Severus that Benjamin had recovered and had gone on medical leave for the rest of the term. Her smile from that news became a frown as she remembered the horrified looked in his eyes when she had visited him. Ever since she had laid eyes on him during their fifth year the former Black knew that the young man had his demons. But beneath that laid a good man. She saw that when he help the first years find their classrooms or how students who insulted a follow Slytherin underclassmen would have a prank pulled on them. Benjamin's attacks were always from the shadows. Like a true snake he struck then retreated. As a sixteen year old girl she was impressed and decided there and then that she would have him. She was a Black after all and they got what they wanted. Later that day she found him in a secluded part of library, and sat down across from him. The young man simply raised an eyebrow and continued reading now with a knowing grin of his face. After a few minutes of being ignored Narcissa got up to leave, but Benjamin gently grabbed her hand.

"Could you help me with the theory on Merlin's three laws of Transformation?" The boy asked

Narcissa smirked as she sat down next to the slightly younger boy and began to explain.

Not soon after that the two began dating and it was one of the happiest times Narcissa remembered having. The couple's dates were simple, studying in the library or common room. The occasional night stroll to the Astrometry tower. But perhaps her fondest memory was how there first kiss came to be.

A day before the two were to return to home for Christmas Benjamin had somehow convinced her to go ice skating on the frozen lake. To this day she doesn't know how he was able to get the skates, but with both of them being Pure Bloods it went as well as one would think. Meaning the two barley skated and simply fell down, a lot. It was after a collision the two found themselves thrown into a snow pile. They had toppled onto each other and Narcissa was on top. The two stared lovely into each other's eyes for a few moments until Benjamin swept a strand of hair out of her eyes and gave a smile. But this smile was different from his typical smirk this was a smile of a man at peace. A man who was happy. That was when Narcissa kissed him and she felt a warmth explode throughout her entire body and it cooled only when the two broke apart. Smiles lighting up there entire faces as the couple made their way back to the castle. She had never felt happier.

But then came the news from her family that she had been arranged to marry Lucius. The day she had received the letter she had spent the night crying in her bedroom under a silencing charm. But she was a Black and she would do what was expected of her. The morning after getting the letter she entered the common room and sat next to her new husband. Then Benjamin had entered and he quickly made the connection and he stormed out she saw that whatever happy man she had been able to bring out in him was now buried underneath a broken heart.

The rest of her years at Hogwarts she didn't see hide or hair of Benjamin it was if the boy had vanished. But she heard whisper's from the lower years of an upper year that they could go to help them if they were bullied or needed to help navigate the castle. She always smiled at that those, it seemed that if even if he was a broken man he was still a good man.

Then came the reign of the Dark Lord. By then she had become Lady Malfoy and had turned a blind eye toward her husband's activities. Until one right Lucius returned from an errand that Voldemort had sent on half dead. It had been a trap, the Pure Blood family him and his team of Death Eaters had been sent to "persuade" to join the Dark Lord had escaped.

The attack had been swift and brutal, within a few moments Lucius had been the last of his team standing and felt a blade to his neck. The cut to his neck had been shallow but the beaten he had received was brutal and most of his bones were broken. Even with magical aid it took a full two months to recover. But the moment her husband had described the attack she knew it had been the work of Benjamin. He had never been a fan of the Dark Lord's. Her mind began to ask the question why he spared Lucius, but it was she already knew. It was to protect her.

After that revelation Narcissa scanned the Daily Prophet every morning, and without fail in the back there was a small article about how a Death Eater, or Werewolf, or simple follower of the Dark Lord was found dead. She was amazed and worried at the same time. Amazed at how one man could take down so many of the Dark Lord's best, but worried because each life he took no matter how justified broke him more. She knew better than most how strong Benjamin was but even he had a breaking point, and she feared what would happen when he did hit it.

In the end though life went on. She became pregnant with Draco, the Dark Lord was defeated, and with his death Benjamin disappeared once again. During the years Narcissa forced herself to forget about him and focused on raising Draco trying to pass on the skills of a true snake compared to his father's version of bullying. Then last year they had met again in the book store, and everything came rushing back. She had left smiling knowing that he had not reached rock bottom. Only to be proven horribly wrong a day earlier as he stared into hers eyes and saw that not only had the man she once loved hit rock bottom, he had somehow be able to crawl his back up and become one of the most popular professors at Hogwarts. She couldn't be prouder of him for that.

"Is Winnie interrupting?" The House Elf asked

Narcissa nearly jumped a foot in the air as the glass of wine and book were sent turned to see a House Elf simply staring at her.

"How can I help you?" Lady Malfoy asked

"You and Sir were close once right?"

"Sir?"

"Benjamin?" The Elf replied then she looked down ashamed. "Sir needs help. Sir is burdened by dark things. Sir's heart is so heavy that he can't even produce a patronus. Winnie was hoping that you have something that could help Sir remember the better times."

Narcissa nodded and headed toward her bedroom and entered the very back on her closet, where a very small rune was placed in a corner of a drawer. Placing her wand on the rune the drawer unlocked and the lady pulled out a stack of photos. They were of her and a young Benjamin, with the smallest of smiles she quickly created copies and headed back to the elf.

"Thank Miss now I must go I have other places to be." Winnie said as she popped away.

For the rest of the day Narcissa simply sat in her bedroom going through her old photos.

It was a somewhat somber Christmas at the Voss house hold. After a morning of opening presents and a large breakfast and lunch Anna, and Alec retreated to their rooms. Meanwhile Benjamin had been sitting in his living sipping whisky. When suddenly Winnie popped in front of him.

"Sorry that Winnie is late Sir. But Merry Christmas." The elf handed the man her present

It was a dark green photo album and as he leafed through it he saw pictures of him, with his mother, the Longbottoms, Professor Flitwick, and finally Narcissa.

Mouth agape he asked, "Winnie?"

"Winnie has been going around to people who knew Sir and Sir's loved ones getting photos. As well as photos from Sir's private collection." The elf explained and then took a deep breath. "When Sir bonded with Winnie, Winnie for a split second felt what Sir felt, all the pain, hurt, fear, and the loss. Winnie has not said anything because for a while Sir has been fine, but since the attack by the Dementor's Sir has needed reminding. Sir is more than the people he has lost. Sir has people that need him, and want him. It is okay for Sir to look to the past, but the past is the past."

Benjamin let out a chuckle "I don't know if I believe that Winnie. But either way-"He embraced the elf in a hug. "Thank you I am eternally grateful my friend."

As Winnie popped away to get some much needed sleep Benjamin sat on the couch and leafed through the book for what felt like hours. Done he put the book down and fiddled with Salazar's wand for a few moments and closed his eyes.

"Expecto Patronum."

At once Benjamin felt the magic rise out of the wand and swirl around him. A moment later he felt a tongue poking him. The man opened his eyes to see the ethereal form of a snake glancing at him. Benjamin gave a sad smile as the patronus vanished and he simply curled up on the couch and fell asleep.

Thank you for reading, please leave a review and check out my other stories. Until next time thank you for the support.


	35. Chapter 34

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter it is owned by JK Rowling**

**The Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher**

**Chapter 34**

**Meeting the Ghost**

Benjamin took a breath for what felt like the thousandth time. He was currently sitting on a bench in the Ministry of Magic Auror Headquarters. The professor had scheduled the meeting with Head Auror Amelia Bones for early that morning. It was safe to say that man was nervous during the war he had operated as a vigilante, it didn't even matter that most of the auror corps was corrupt back then, the law was the law and he could be arrested. Also he had assaulted the woman he was about to meet and attempt to convince to take another at Black's case. Plus he had no weapon. His cane had been taken when he arrived.

"Madam Bones will see you now Mr. Voss." The secretary said

Flashing the woman a small smile Benjamin entered the office. The teacher entered the office to see a stern looking but not unattractive woman with a monocle looking over some papers. The moment the two's eyes met Amelia pulled her wand.

Benjamin smirked, "I underestimated your memory. I thought for sure it would take you at least five minutes to remember me." He spoke as he took the seat across from the Head Auror.

"What is to stop me from calling in others and having you thrown in a cell?" Amelia asked

"First off proof-"  
"I have my memoires-"

"Trust me Madam Bones I remember that night better than anyone, and with your series of events it would quite a challenge to pinpoint myself out."

"Your second reason?"  
"Could you even trust the aurors that you sent? We both now that even if the Dark Lord is gone his supporters still live and work among us. But neither matters. If you must arrest me do so, but I came here for a reason and I must have that reason known before you throw me in a cell." The man said

Amelia lowered her wand and gestured for the man to speak.

"The fact that there was no trial for Sirius Black."

"There wasn't a trial?"

Benjamin shook his head, "The man was simply thrown into Azkaban on the word of a few spectators and his so called victim was given the highest award our country has to offer based on nothing more than words, no evidence, no facts, just words."

" "So called victim"?" Amelia asked

"All that was left of Pettigrew was one toe. No blood, no body, just a toe. Witnesses said it was a fight if Black was as mad as people claim and he attacked the muggles by blowing up the place there would have been a body. The aurors got there too quick for Black to vanish Peter's body away."

"You believe that Black was framed?"

"I believe that we need to know the truth of that night, and not just the fight between Black and Pettigrew but rest of the night of the Dark Lord's disappearance. Black was there and is the best source of information. If nothing else Harry Potter deserves to know the full events of that night."

"What do you want me to do?" Bones asked

"I want to see if you can get the order to simple capture on sight and not kill. Other than that see what you can dig up on his arrest. If you find anything please send me an owl." Benjamin said as he got up.

"The Dark Lords "disappearance" you don't believe he is dead?"

Benjamin gave a small dark chuckle, "Until that monsters body lays dead at my feet I will not stop thinking he lives. But even if he does die, he will still live on the fools who share his beliefs. The same fools who are too afraid, too ignorant, or simply too arrogant to see that our world needs to change or else we will cease to be. Those thoughts must be put to rest. Because there is no truth to them. That will be a battle far greater than defeating any Dark Lord, changing hearts and minds. But I believe there is still hope."

"Amelia chuckled, "Do you gives speeches like that often in class? If so I can see why my Susan is so taken with you. Oh it is a simple girl hood crush nothing more but I can see why she has one. You carry yourself with such pose, and confidence but earned confidence. You also speak with such convection as well. A far cry from the madman that I fought."

"That man still lives, and he will never truly do away. I learned that long ago. I am sorry by the way for my actions that night. But those Death Eaters they had tortured my friends, killed countless others and jail was there punishments? Something snapped in me and I am sorry that it was taken out on you and your aurors. Even though I still believe they do deserve death."

"Well that is a topic for another time. I do have other appointments for the if you may see yourself out?" Amelia Bones gestured toward the door. "Mister Voss are you attending the Minister's New Year's Party this year?"

Benjamin smirked, "Why Madam Bone's do you wish for me to escort you? Imagine how jealous poor Susan would be seeing her Aunt on the arm of her crush?"

Amelia simply glared at the man but if one looked closely they would see the barest hint of red on the woman's cheeks. "I am asking because it would the best place to discuss my findings on Sirius Black."

"Well it appears I will be attending now. Until then Madam Bones I wish you well." Benjamin said as he left.  
As the door closed the Head Auror let out a breath. She had done it she had faced the ghost that had haunted her for so long. The man's eyes had changed since that night, there was a sense of hope that had been absent before. Still though Amelia could tell the man was broken, and for the first time in over a decade she wondered what ghosts her own ghost faced on a daily bases. Quickly shaking her head of such thoughts she decided to start her research on Sirius Black, discreetly of course. The woman felt she was beginning to pull on a very dangerous thread and she hopped by the end some good would come of it.

**Thank you for reading, please leave a review and check out my other stories. Until next time thank you for the support. **


	36. Chapter 35

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter it is owned by JK Rowling**

**The Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher**

**Chapter 35**

**Crossroads of Truth and Hope**

For the second year in a row Benjamin attended the Ministers Ball. This time though he was alone, the rest of his family had decided to stay home. The man could not blame them, the only he was here was so that he and Amelia Bones could trade information, At least that is what he said to himself as he glanced over at Narcissa who was wearing a form fitting dark green dress.

But his attention was brought to one Amelia Bones who fought her way through the crowd. The Director of Magical Law Enforcement looked quite fetching in a dark blue dress, and hair done up. But still she sported the monocle over one eye.

"Well don't you look lovely this evening Madam Bones. Would you care for a dance?" He asked

Amelia rolled her eyes as a light dusting of read colored her cheeks for a moment before vanishing.

"Come on then I doubt you want to be here anymore than I do." Bones said as the two headed out toward the entrance hall.

Neither noticed a slightly glaring Narcissa Malfoy following silently behind. 

"So the official file had nothing new then?" Benjamin asked  
Amelia shook her head, "And any other path I tried to take was blocked by the Minster himself."

"Thank you trying at the very least. But it doesn't really change my plans though. I still have to catch Black alive and then we will know the truth." Amelia chuckled. "What's funny Madam Bones?"

"It is a little odd to hear a Slytherin speak about the truth."  
Benjamin smirked at the woman, "I suppose it is, because us Slytherin's are always known to twist words to our advantage. It is a skill that only the most successful of the snake pit truly master. But couldn't you see how being able to do that makes the truth a snakes most powerful and also most feared weapon? When their wall of words crumbles, and all the sugar and honey in there tone melts and dissolves. This image they have created of themselves vanishes like a leaf in the wind, forcing them to confront their true selves, when telling the truth is there only option left. It is then when the _truth, the total unbiased truth _is allowed to be told true magic happens, some may even say that miracles occur. That is the power of the _truth." _

Amelia Bones took a few moments to compose herself as Benjamin had let out a bit of magical aura during his speech.

"I must say if even half of the people I work with believed as you do then perhaps things would be a bit different in the Ministry."

"We could only hope one day it is Madam Bones." Benjamin said

"Well with that I hope you have a good rest of the night I have to get back to Susan." Amelia left with a nod.

Backing up closer to wall as Bones left stood Narcissa. The woman felt a tad foolish for following the two who she believed at the time had left to have a romantic tix in private. She ignored the surge of anger that rose in her chest at thinking that. But instead she learned that the two instead were talking about her muggle loving cousin turned mass murder Sirius. At the time of his arrest she hadn't really given much thought expect for the fact that with him gone that Draco would claim the Black Lordship when he perished in Azkaban. But if he was released and proven innocent, then that opened up a wide range of options. Even the option to leave Lucius, oh the blonde wouldn't let that happen without a fight, but if it could done. Then just maybe-The woman was knocked out of her thoughts by a sweet smell. She turned to see a single purple rose, and a single blue rose on a wall enclave a few feet behind her. Narcissa nearly gasped at the two flowers, only a select few people knew she studied the meaning of roses as a hobby and Benjamin was one of them. The man knew she was there the whole time, and this was his way of telling her. She turned around to the entrance hall but the DADA professor was already gone.

Near midnight Anna awoke and headed to the kitchen for a glass of water only to see Benjamin sipping some whiskey.

"Did you have a good time a ball?" She asked taking a place across from him.

The man simply shook his head, "It was what it was."

Anna nodded her head, "Benjamin I have a question? Would it be possible for Alec to head to Hogwarts for a day or two to simply show him around?"

Said man turned to her and leveled the woman with a slight cruel. "I thought better of you then this Anna. Why do you want to torture your boy by letting him enter a world he could never truly be a part of?"

Benjamin's answer was a straight punch to the face by Anna which knocked the man off his chair.

"Benjamin Voss don't you _ever _dare to think that I would hurt my boy mentally or physically, He is my heart, my soul, and is the reason I have survived for as long as I have. Everything I do I do for him." Anna growled out as the teacher picked himself up.

"I apologize, but why do want him to go with me?"

"I know that he likes animals and I know that your Care of Magical Creatures is being taught by a half-giant. I want him to see that people who aren't completely magical can still have a good life. He needs to see the world outside his small squib classroom." Anna finished

Benjamin gave a small smile, "You want to give your boy hope." He chuckled as he took another sip of whiskey. "People always say love is the most powerful emotion, and it is powerful. But without hope love couldn't exist. On the flipside love can turn to hate, and hope to despair. Without hope neither outcome is impossible, and that makes it dangerous. There was a time I wanted to lose all hope. But the annoying thing is as long as there is the tiniest spark of it hope lives on. "  
"You wanted to give up?" Anna asked

The teacher nodded "When my part in the war ended I wanted to give up on the world. I wanted to completely cut myself off and drink myself to death, But despite everything I have done there still hope of something. So I exiled myself from the world and kept training waiting for my moment. Which led to now. But to answer your question yes Alec should be able to stay for a couple days. I just need to make the arrangements." He finished as he gulped down the rest of his whisky.

"Thank you Benjamin tomorrow we can tell Alec." Anna said as the two headed toward your room.

Benjamin slowly made his way to his quarters with a mental note to not piss of Anna again, that punch hurt.

**Thank you for reading, please leave a review and check out my other stories. Until next time thank you for the support. **


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